• Box Score

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Feb. 7) – In their first action since mid-October, the No. 14 Vulcans opened their spring season with a 5-2 loss against Big 12-member West Virginia on Friday afternoon at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania tennis team falls to 2-2 in dual play this year. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers earn their first win of the year and improve to 1-3 overall with all four matches coming in the last three weeks.

WVU claimed the doubles point after winning matches at the top-two positions on Friday. At the first slot, the No. 9 tandem of senior Lucie Sipkova (Pardubice, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Pardubice Mozartova) and junior Lucie Rey (Geneva, Switzerland/Colombieres) suffered a 6-4 loss to Hailey Barrett and Ikttesh Chahal. In their first match as doubles partners, freshman Mariela Sarinana (Mexico City, Mexico/Miraflores) and junior Ramona Czakon (Trier, Germany/Tampereen Lyseon Lukio) dropped a 6-4 match against Oana Manole and Kaja Mrgole at the second position. Cal U avoided the sweep with a 6-3 victory by junior Jesse Burrell (Perth, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies' College) and sophomore Florine Gross (Forbach, France/Lycée Jean Moulin) – another first-time tandem – at third doubles against Irinka Toidze and Vivian Tsui.

The Mountaineers clinched the match victory by earning four straight-set wins in singles play. Barrett posted a 6-1, 6-4 victory over No. 7 Sipkova at the first position, while No. 45 Czakon recorded a 6-3, 6-2 win against Chahal at the second slot. Rey suffered a 6-4, 6-4 loss at third singles against Mrgole on Friday and freshman Kiefer Shaw (Westmount, Quebec/Centennial) dropped a 6-1, 6-2 contest to Manole at the fourth position. Toidze outlasted freshman Veronika Mikulis (Otterburn Park, Quebec/Heritage Regional) at the fifth slot by a 6-2, 7-6 margin, while Sarinana earned a 6-3, 6-3 victory at sixth singles against Tsui.

The Vulcans are idle for over a month before returning to action on March 25 when they open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play with a home match against Edinboro.