WILMINGTON, Del. - - For the third consecutive year, the Wilmington University women's tennis team defeated Jefferson in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship, this year by a 4-1 score on Saturday afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
The CACC Tournament Championship gives the Wildcats (11-1) the conference's automatic qualification into the NCAA East Regional Tournament in May.
The Wildcats and Rams played to a 1-1 regular season series, as the Rams defeated the Wildcats on October 3 to snap a 25-match unbeaten streak against CACC opposition. The Wildcats came back and beat the Rams, 6-1, October 16 to win the CACC Regular Season Championship and be the No. 1 seed in the CACC Tournament.
On Saturday, the Wildcats once against dominated the doubles play, quickly winning at No. 2 and No. 3 to earn the point. Marley Trifunovic and Alva Norberg won at No. 2, 6-1, just moments before Jess Purdy and Larize Nel won at No. 3, 6-1, to put the Wildcats ahead, 1-0.
Jefferson tied the match, 1-1, with a win from All-CACC performer Noelle Frenzel at No. 1, but that would be all the Rams would get in the match.
Alva Norberg finished off Charly Egger, 6-4 and 6-3, at No. 3 singles and then Marley Trifunovic have the Wildcats a 3-1 lead with a 6-2 and 6-3 lead at No. 5 singles.
The focus shifted to the other side of the indoor courts at the Delcastle Tennis Center, as both Jess Purdy and Valentina Ivankovic got off to slow starts in their matches. But Valentina Ivankovic battled back in the first set and eventually won in a tiebreak, 7-6 (7-5). She then carried the momentum into the second set and won at No. 4 singles, 6-1, in the set, setting off the team celebration.
Purdy came back in her match to win the second set, 6-3, and was leading, 1-0, in the third set when the match was decided. Larize Nel just started her match and was leading, 3-1, when the match was decided.
Alva Norberg was named the CACC Tournament MVP, going 2-0 at No. 3 singles in the postseason tournament and 1-0 at No. 2 doubles, with her other match going unfinished. Jess Purdy, Valentina Ivankovic, and Marley Trifunovic joined Norberg on the All-Tournament Team.
The victory puts a close on the fall season for the Wildcats, as they will now return in April to begin preparations for the NCAA Tournament.
