Box ScoreSOUTH PARK, Pa. (April 17) – The No. 12 California University of Pennsylvania tennis team clinched at least a share of the first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West standings with a 7-2 win over Mercyhurst at Glen Greek Tennis Club on Friday afternoon.
With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 11-3 this season with a 5-0 mark in divisional play. Cal U maintains a one-match lead over IUP in the league standings and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Crimson Hawks. Meanwhile, the Lakers fall to 12-3 overall behind a 4-2 mark in PSAC West action.
Cal U swept doubles play for the fourth time in their last five matches while playing with a shuffled lineup. Playing at the first position for just the second time this season, senior
Ramona Czakon (Trier, Germany/Tampereen Lyseon Lukio) and sophomore
Mariela Sarinana (Mexico City, Mexico/Miraflores) posted an 8-3 victory over Sarah Baich and Adrianna Jeffress. Sophomore
Veronika Mikulis (Otterburn Park, Quebec/Heritage Regional) and freshman
Lena Dimmer (Wallendorf-Pont, Luxembourg/Lycée Classique) collected an 8-4 win at second doubles against Annie Baich and Saioa Gomez deSegura. In their first match as a doubles team, sophomore
Kiefer Shaw (Westmount, Quebec/Centennial) and freshman
Katie Olson (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills) registered an 8-3 victory at the third position over Katelyn Caniford and Adina Spahalic.
The Vulcans secured the match victory after tallying four straight-set wins in singles play on Friday. Shaw was outlasted by Gomez deSegura at the first position by a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 count, while Czakon tallied her team-leading 14th win of the season with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at the second slot over Jeffress. Dimmer posted a 7-6 (9-7), 6-1 win against Sarah Baich at third singles and Sarinana collected a 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 victory at the fourth position over Annie Baich. At the fifth slot, freshman
Alice Johns (Northampton, England/Northampton) dropped a 0-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 match to Spahalic and Mikulis registered a 6-1, 6-0 win at sixth singles against Caniford.
Cal U looks to close out the regular season on Sunday, April 19, when it travels to face Slippery Rock at 11 a.m.
