Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Sept. 6) – Featuring five newcomers in the lineup, the Vulcans opened their fall schedule with an 8-1 victory against Alderson Broaddus on Sunday afternoon at Roadman Park.

The California University of Pennsylvania tennis team has now opened its fall season with a dual match in three-straight years. The Battlers started the campaign with a loss after posting a 4-9 overall record last year.

The Vulcans jumped out to a 3-0 lead after registering a pair of shutouts in doubles. In their first career match as a doubles pair, junior Kiefer Shaw (Westmount, Quebec/Centennial) and sophomore Lena Dimmer (Wallendorf-Pont, Luxembourg/Lycée Classique) claimed an 8-0 victory at the first position against Mireia Fabrega and Christina Johnson. Junior transfer Jasi Witherspoon (Macon, Ga./Howard) and freshman Natasha Birze (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) collected an 8-4 win at second doubles and junior transfer Alyssa Savill (Holbrook, Australia/Billabong) and sophomore Katie Olson (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills) recorded an 8-0 victory at the third slot.

Cal U completed the match victory after winning five singles matches in straight sets. Junior Veronika Mikulis (Otterburn Park, Quebec/Heritage Regional) tallied a 6-0, 6-0 win against Fabrega while playing at the first position for the first time in her career. Savill collected a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Johnson at second singles and Birze collected a 6-3, 6-0 win at the third slot against Stephanie Gertsakis. Freshman Jacqueline Olivia (Bandung, Indonesia/SMAK 1 BPK Penabur) cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Jordyn Walker at fourth singles, while Witherspoon registered a 6-0, 6-1 win at the fifth position against Nicole Martin. At the sixth slot, freshman Maura Gray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) was outlasted by Taylor England by a 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 count at the sixth slot.

The Vulcans return to action next weekend at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 12-13.