CULLOWHEE, NC – The new and improved North Carolina A&T women's tennis team continued to prove it is new and improved on Saturday.
The Aggies traveled to Western Carolina University (WCU) on Saturday and came away with another win, defeating the Catamounts 6-1 at the Catamount Athletic Complex. The Aggies improved to 2-1 with their only loss of the season coming to the defending Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) champion Elon Phoenix in a competitive 7-0 loss on Wednesday.
"We had a great match today," said A&T sophomore Juana Gomez Weiss. "It is a reflection of all the work that we put in on the court every time we play. We know that we can play at a high level, and the results are starting to come too. Last year, we lost against them, and today with a full and healthy team, we have beat them.
A&T continues to enjoy the fact that injuries are not preventing them from having to forfeit at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles. It was the Catamounts who had the issue of having to forfeit at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles on Saturday. The forfeit at No. 3 doubles helped the Aggies take the doubles point after the two teams split the other two doubles matches.
The Aggies duo of juniors Randy Rakotoarilala and Tabeth Tadoum defeated Zoe Lui and Kelly Coetzee 6-4 at No. 2 doubles. Unfortunately, Gomez Weiss and sophomore Flavia Villegas battled but lost to WCU's Mariya Dobreva and Mia Mirando 7-5 at No. 1 doubles. WCU tied the match at 1-1 with a win at No. 1 singles. Dobreva defeated senior Hana El Sherif 6-0, 6-1. The Aggies regained the lead at No. 3 singles when Gomez Weiss won in straight sets over Axelle Van Beurden, 6-2, 6-1.
"I played good tennis, but most importantly, in my second season, I am experienced, and I'm feeling more and more comfortable on the court," said Gomez Weiss.
Tadoum had a difficult No. 5 singles match against Lui but still came away with a 6-4, 6-3 win to put A&T ahead 3-1. The match clincher came at No. 4 singles when sophomore Dorsa Cheraghi defeated Coetzee 6-0, 7-5. The Aggies added another win at No. 2 singles with Rakotoarilala defeating Miranda 7-5, 6-2. The forfeit at No. 6 singles gave the Aggies another win.
A&T will take their momentum into spring break, where they will play a series of matches in Orlando, Fla., starting with Temple University on Monday, March 2, at 9:30 a.m. The Aggies will play five matches over spring break.
