• Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (April 3) – The No. 8 California University of Pennsylvania tennis team posted its sixth-consecutive win on Tuesday afternoon at the Pennbriar Athletic Club, posting a 9-0 victory over Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 16-5 overall and 4-0 in league play. Meanwhile, the regionally-ranked Lakers fall to 9-5 this season with a 2-3 mark in divisional action.

For the third-straight match, Cal U swept doubles play to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Seniors Martina Rubesova (Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Dr. Vaclava Smejkala) and Franziska Steinhardt (Bad Lausick, Germany/St. Augustin Gymnasium) posted an 8-4 win at the first position against Sarah Baich and Caroline Bristol, the No. 10 doubles team in the region. At the second slot, senior Annabel Pieschl (Gothenburg, Sweden/Katrinelund) and junior Jade Pondicas (Johannesburg, South Africa/British International Distance) blanked Mercyhurst's Rebecca Haener and Courtney Thompson by an 8-0 count, while freshmen Jesse Burrell (Perth, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies' College) and Ramona Czakon claimed an 8-5 victory against Katelyn Caniford and Courtney Conway at third doubles.

In singles, No. 12 Rubesova won her seventh-straight match at the first position by downing regionally-ranked Bristol by a 6-3, 6-0 margin. Pieschl, who was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week yesterday, earned her 21st singles win of the season by posting a 6-0, 6-3 victory against Thompson at the second slot. Pondicas cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Haener at third singles on Tuesday.

At the fourth position Steinhardt tallied a 6-2, 6-1 win against Baich for her 20th victory of the year. Czakon returned to the singles lineup for the first time in over a week to earn a 6-1, 6-2 win over Mercyhurst's Taylor Wedlake at the fifth slot. Freshman Jolien Borrenberghs (Hasselt, Belgium/KA2 Sportschool) won her fourth-consecutive match by a 6-1, 6-1 count at sixth singles against Conway.

The Vulcans continue their road trip on Saturday, April 7, when they travel to face BIG EAST-member West Virginia at 1 p.m. Cal U has already posted four victories this season against NCAA Division I programs, including wins at Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.