WILMINGTON, Del. - - For the first time since the 2019 regular season, the Wilmington University women's tennis team dropped a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match, falling to Jefferson, 5-2, on Tuesday at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
Since a 5-1 loss on October 19, 2019 to Chestnut Hill, the Wildcats (4-1, 4-1 CACC) have rattled off 20 consecutive CACC regular season victories, adding four CACC Tournament match victories, and one nonconference contest against Jefferson last spring, resulting in 25 consecutive victories against CACC opposition.
The Rams, who the Wildcats have defeated in each of the past two CACC Tournament Championship matches, won five of the six singles matches to claim the victory, despite the Wildcats winning the doubles' point to start the match.
Gloria Barcaro and Larize Nel started the Wildcats off on the right foot with a 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles but then Jefferson was able to even things up with a win at No. 2. But Jess Purdy and Fenna Swaan gave the Wildcats the point, winning at No. 1 doubles, 6-3.
The Rams came out and won straight set matches at No. 2 and No. 6, taking a 2-1 lead. Kushi Khandoji won the first set, 6-4, at No. 1 singles, but then Nicole Hrbkova came back and won the next two sets to take the victory and give the Rams the 3-1 lead.
Larize Nel brought the Wildcats back with a win at No. 4 singles, battling back after dropping the first set, 7-5. Nel went on to win, 6-4 and 6-4, to keep the Wildcats alive, 3-2. But then Charly Egger won the third set against Valentina Ivankovic, 7-5, to help the Rams to the team victory, 4-2. Rose Huang settled the score at No. 5 singles, defeating Marley Trifunovic in a second set tiebreaker, 9-7, closing out the match, 5-2.
The Wildcats will look to get back on track with their next CACC contest, playing again at the Delcastle Tennis Center on Saturday, but this time as the away team against Goldey-Beacom. First serve is set for 12:00 p.m.