WILMINGTON, Del. - - The top seeded Wilmington University women's tennis team is back-to-back Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Champions, defeating No. 2 Jefferson, 4-2, in the final on Sunday afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
Unlike last year, the Wildcats needed to come from behind in the final, dropping the doubles point before battling back in the singles competition. The match was tied 2-2 and then Carmelle Vial won at No. 1 singles before Neus Ramos Moreno clinched the Championship point at No. 2 singles.
And then the celebration ensued.
The win capped off a perfect fall season, as the Wildcats are now 12-0 overall.
The Rams have battled the Wildcats in all three matchups this season, and Sunday was no different. Neus Ramos Moreno and Jess Purdy put the Wildcats in front with a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles. But then Emily Frost and Charly Egger won at No. 3 doubles, 6-4, to tie the game. Down to No. 1 doubles and tied 5-5, Natalie Wagner and Noelle Frenzel won the final two games to win the match, 7-5, to earn the doubles point.
In the race to four points, five of the six first sets went by way of the Wildcats as the singles competition started.
Jess Purdy was the first to finish for the Wildcats, closing out the straight set victory, 6-1 and 6-2, to put the Wildcats on the board and tie the match, 1-1. Jefferson regained the lead, 2-1, with a straight set win at No. 4 singles, and then the rain started. The rest of the match would be played indoors at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
Once inside, the intensity ramped up but Valentina Ivankovic was able to bottle it up and turn it into a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 5 and tie the game, 2-2.
Carmelle Vial battled back from an early hole in the first set to force a tiebreak. Vial turned up the pressure and won the tiebreak, 7-0, to take the first set. Once inside, she kept battling and ultimately took the second set, 6-2, to win the match and give the Wildcats the 3-2 lead.
Jefferson fought back to win the second sets at both No. 2 and No. 6, setting the stage even further.
Neus Ramos Moreno took hold of her third set from the start, picking up two breaks to lead 4-0. She then broke again to lead 5-1, getting to serve out for the championship. She did just that and the Wildcats partied as Noelle Frenzel's return went wide.
Larize Nel was also ahead in her third set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead before stopping to celebrate with her teammates.
Neus Ramos Moreno was named the CACC Tournament MVP after winning both her singles matches at No. 2 as well as her doubles match on Sunday. She was also leading her doubles match in the semifinal when the match was called.
Joining Ramos Moreno on the All-Tournament Team was Carmelle Vial, Jess Purdy, and Valentina Ivankovic.
