LATROBE, Pa. (Sept. 25) – The California University of Pennsylvania tennis team opened the fall season with a 5-4 loss at Saint Vincent  in non-conference play on Wednesday evening.

With the loss, the Vulcans start the campaign with a 0-1 under first-year head coach Anita Onufer, who played tennis at Saint Vincent from 2014-17. Meanwhile, the Bearcats improve to 4-1 this season.

Saint Vincent took a 2-1 lead after the doubles session on Wednesday. Senior Charlie Gallagher (Kennett Square, Pa./Octorara) and sophomore newcomer Fallon Winseck (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) earned the lone victory for the Vulcans in doubles play, collecting an 8-5 win at the first position over Maura Skelley and Angela Popovich. At the second slot, sophomores Fulvia Camargo (South Park, Pa./South Park) and Julia McDaniel (South Park, Pa./South Park) dropped an 8-3 contest to Abby Jo Stull and Lauren Hartner. Junior Alexa Uhlyar (Finleyville, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and newcomer Annie Miller were blanked by an 8-0 count at third doubles by Maria Hoh and Jessica Hartner.

The Bearcats secured the match victory after the two teams split the six singles matches. Gallagher outlasted Skelley by a 6-4, 5-7, 10-5 margin at the first position and Winseck posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory at the second slot over Popovich. McDaniel suffered a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Stull at third singles. Carmargo earned her first career singles victory by a 3-6, 6-4, 10-5 margin at the fourth position against Livia Wentworth. Uhlyar dropped a 6-4, 6-1 contest to Hoh at fifth singles and Miller fell by a 6-3, 6-0 margin to Hannah Schilpp.

Cal U is idle for over a week before competing at the PSAC Individual Championships on Oct. 5-7 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.