WILMINGTON, Del. - - The weather was perfect for the Wilmington University women's tennis teams' spring home opener, but the Wildcats were, as they swept West Chester, 7-0, on Tuesday afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
It was a cloudy and breezy afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center, but the 22nd ranked team in NCAA DII prevailed and remained unbeaten in 2022-23, moving to 15-0 on the year.
The Wildcats won all three doubles matches to start the day, as Neus Ramos Moreno and Jess Purdy started things off with a 6-2 win at No. 1. Carmelle Vial and Fenna Swaan followed with a 6-3 win at No. 2 to win the point and then Alva Norberg and Larize Nel finished off their opponents at No. 3 doubles, 7-5, for the sweep.
Participating in her first match at Delcastle, Maelle Fontanges was the first to finish singles for the Wildcats, winning at No. 3, 6-0 and 6-0, to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. Marley Trifunovic won at NO. 5 singles, 6-1 and 6-1, and then Alva Norberg clinched the team victory with a 6-0 and 6-3 win at No. 4 singles, 4-0.
Fenna Swaan was right behind Norberg at No. 6 singles, coming from behind to win, 5-7, 6-1, and 10-5 in the third set tiebreaker. Carmell Vial dropped the second set at No. 2 singles but answered with a 10-4 third set tiebreaker to win, 6-1, 4-6 and 10-4, to keep the shutout alive. Jess Purdy than finished off the Golden Rams with a win at No. 1 singles, 7-6 (7-1) and 6-2.
The Wildcats' spring scheduled doesn't ease up this week, as they now prepare for regional participant St. Thomas Aquinas (13-2) on Thursday in another home match at the Delcastle Tennis Center. First serve is set for 3:00 p.m.
