By Joshua Laska – Entertainment Editor/Website Coordinator
The California Vulcans’ women’s tennis team posted one loss and one win during the week of March 20 and move to 12-7 on the season after facing ten NCAA Division I opponents. The Vulcans lost to the Temple Owls (6-1) but defeated the Villanova Wildcats (9-0).
Temple captured the doubles points by winning two of the three doubles matches. Junior Annabel Pieschl and sophomore Jade Pondicas, the 16th ranked duo in the nation in Division II, lost to Lucie Pazderova and Elyse Steiner (8-6); this marks their eighth loss of the season in doubles play. Junior Axelle Fernandez and classmate Anastassiya Zherdeva were the only bright spots in doubles play when they defeated Theresa Stangle and Jordan Batey (8-5). Senior Laurie Navarro and junior Franziska Steinhardt suffered a loss to Alicia Doms and Yana Mavrina (8-2).
Twentieth-ranked Pieschl was the only Vulcan to capture a win in singles play, where she defeated Stangl (6-2, 6-2). Pondicas suffered a tough loss to Steiner (7-5, 6-3), Steinhardt also suffered a loss to Mavrina (6-0, 6-2).
Zherdeva (6-1, 6-4), Fernandez (6-0, 6-3), and Navarro (6-4, 6-2) all suffered losses to Doms, Pazderova, and Batey respectfully.
By defeating Villanova the Vulcans snapped their three-match losing streak, 16th-ranked Pieschl and Pondicas started things off on the right foot by defeating Mikelle Mancini and Kristin Gobberg (8-4). Fernandez and Zherdeva also were victorious but over Allison Solberg and Emily Urda (8-2), Navaro and Steinhardt dealt a crushing defeated to Sarah Kelly and Katherine Monari (8-1).
Pieschl was victorious at first singles over Mancini (6-3, 6-4). Pondicas collected a win over Solberg (6-2, 6-1); this win marks her 20th win of the season in singles. Steinhardt captured a victory in third singles over Amanda Nelson (6-2, 6-0).
Zherdeva recorded a win over Urda in the fourth singles position (6-0, 6-1), Fernandez also captured a win but over Alexandra Harding (6-2, 6-0). Navarro rounded out the match with a win against Anne Cognetti in the sixth position (6-1, 6-3).
The Vulcans return to action today against Concordia (N.Y.) at 4 p.m. at Roadman Park.
