Tennis posts big wins before end of season

Nathan Connolly, Cal Times Contributor

The No. 18 Vulcans posted a 9-0 win on Senior Day over West Liberty in non-conference play on Friday afternoon at Roadman Park.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania tennis team improves to 12-2 overall and extends its winning streak to 11 matches.

The Vulcans swept doubles play for the seventh-straight match, losing only six games. Senior Kiefer Shaw and sophomore Lena Dimmer  earned an 8-2 victory at the first position against the regionally-ranked tandem of Raquel Cabero and Rhiannon James.

At second doubles, junior Jasi Witherspoon and freshman Holly Bennett recorded their seventh-straight victory with an 8-3 win over Emily Dawson and Laura Huwe. Juniors Veronika Mikulis  and Alyssa Savill claimed an 8-1 victory at the third slot against Kate Pinchuk and Alaina Pauley from West Liberty.

Cal U completed the match victory on Friday by winning all six singles matches. Shaw tallied a 6-1, 6-0 win over Huwe at the first position and Dimmer registered a 6-0, 6-1 victory at the second slot against Dawson. Witherspoon earned a 7-5, 6-4 win over James at third singles, while Mikulis extended her team-best winning streak to 11 matches following a 6-3, 6-2 victory at the fourth position against Pinchuk. Savill recorded her eighth-straight victory by blanking Ana Berbel by a 6-0, 6-0 count at the fifth slot and freshman Jacqueline Olivia claimed a 6-2, 4-6, 10-3 win at sixth singles against Andrea Puga.

Cal U’s own Kiefer Shaw was selected for the PSAC West Athlete of the Week after her performances in the past week. Shaw helped the Vulcans extend their winning streak to 12 matches and move into a tie for first place in the divisional standings. Shaw also posted a 6-4, 6-0 win at first singles on Sunday while playing at Seton Hill and collected an 8-1 victory in doubles while playing with a new partner for the first time.

A native of Quebec, Shaw has posted a 13-5 record in singles play this year while playing at the first position for the second-straight year. She also sits second on the team with 17 wins in doubles behind a 10-1 mark in dual play.

The Vulcans are red hot right now and keep finding ways to win. With the way they are winning, it is safe to say that this is one of the best teams out together in a while here at Cal U.