• Box Score

TAMPA (March 2) – Despite losses at the top two singles positions, the No. 9 Vulcans claimed a 6-3 victory on Monday over Hillsborough Community College (Fla.), the top-rated JUCO team in the country and the defending-JUCO National Champions.

With the Hawks' status as a JUCO program, the match is not officially recognized by the NCAA.

After losing the match at No. 1 doubles, the Vulcans rallied to earn victories at the second and third doubles slots. Freshman Axelle Fernandez (Nice, France/Institut Familial) and sophomore Laurie Navarro (Eysus, France/Jules Supervielle) posted an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles over Ashley Albro and Paige Palinkas. At the third position, sophomore Nina Kowalski (Hofheim, Germany/Man Taunus) and freshman Mariana Oliveira (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Martha Falcao) also earned an 8-3 victory over Courtney Spafford and Brittney Bowden.

In singles play, Fernandez outlasted the Hawks' Spafford, the 43rd-ranked player in JUCO, for a 6-2, 6-7, 10-7 victory at the No. 3 position. Kowalski also posted a victory over a nationally-ranked player, beating 62nd-ranked Laure Bassi in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0.

Sophomore Galina Vishnikina (Almaty, Kazakhstan/Sport Military) claimed a 6-1, 6-2 victory at the fifth position, while Oliveira earned a 6-2, 6-3 win over Albro at the sixth slot.

At No. 2 singles, freshman Alina Stanila (Alexandria, Romania/Technical) battled Hillsborough's Olivia Howlett – the top rated JUCO player in the nation – to a third-set tiebreak before losing 5-7, 6-2, 13-11.

Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, March 4, with a match against No. 15 Rollins (Fla.) in Winter Park, Fla.