By Joshua Laska - Sports/Managing Editor
The eighth ranked tennis team captured two wins last week. They began the week with a 9-0 victory over Mercyhurst, followed by a 5-2 win over Division I West Virginia. The Vulcans are now on a seven match-winning streak and are 17-5 on the season and 4-0 in the PSAC. The Vulcans have two matches remaining before the PSAC Tournament in Bloomsburg, April 20 and 21.
Against Mercyhurst, the fifth ranked team of senior Martina Rubesova and senior Franziska Steinhardt defeated Sarah Baich and Caroline Bristol in the first doubles position 8-4. The 16th ranked team of senior Annabel Pieschl and junior Jade Pondicas defeated Rebecca Haener and Courtney Thompson 8-0. Freshman Ramona Czakon and freshman Jesse Burrell defeated Katelyn Caniford and Courtney Conway 8-5 in the third spot to sweep the doubles point.
In the first position 12th ranked Rubesova defeated Briston 6-3 and 6-0, following in the second position 41st ranked Pieschl defeated Thompson 6-0 and 6-3. 42nd ranked Pondicas defeated Haener 6-1 and 6-1 in the third spot; Steinhardt then defeated Sarah Baich 6-2 and 6-1. Czakon captured the victory over Mercyhurst’s Taylor Wedlake 6-1 and 6-2, while freshman Jolien Borrenberghs defeated Conway 6-1 and 6-1 in the last singles position to help claim the sweep of the Lakers.
Fifth ranked Rubesova and Steinhardt defeated West Virginia University’s Mary Chupa and Ikttesh Chahal 8-5 in the first doubles position. Veronica Cardenas and Emily Mathis over took the 16th ranked team of Pieschl and Pondicas 6-8. Czakon and senior Anastassiya Zherdeva captured the victory in the third position due to a forfeit, giving the Vulcans one doubles point.
In singles, 12th ranked Rubesova defeated Chupa 6-3 and 6-4, followed by 41st ranked Pieschl defeating Mathis 6-4 and 6-0. 42nd ranked Ponidcas won the third singles spot over Cardenas 6-1 and 6-1, Zherdeva lost to Chahal 6-1, 2-6 and 2-6. Steinhardt was defeated in the fifth singles 1-6, 6-0 and 5-7, while Czakon grabbed the victory in a forfeit.
After two wins in singles and one win in doubles last week Pondicas was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week. Pondicas is the fourth Vulcan in four weeks to win the PSAC laurels.
The Vulcans returned to action on Tuesday, April 10 against Slippery Rock for senior day but that game ended to late, for press time. They then travel to Villanova today to take on the Division I Wildcats.
