Women's Tennis | 2/28/2021 1:04:00 PM
WHEELING, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's tennis team picked up right where it had left off nearly a year ago here Saturday, opening the 2021 spring season with a 7-0 shutout of California (Pa.) inside the Wheeling Park Bubble.
Coach
Heather Gallagher's Hilltoppers had broken into the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings with an 8-1 record last March when the NCAA ordered a shutdown of all spring sports due to the pandemic.
Despite the long layoff, the Black and Gold showed no signs of rust in their return to intercollegiate competition on Saturday.
West Liberty had no trouble earning the doubles point as
Gemma Cliffe and
Ishika Agarwal breezed to a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles with
Luisa Agudelo and Jacqueline Pena-Aceves posting a 6-2 victory in the No. 2 spot. Alex Olson and
Nathalia Valencia pitched a 6-0 shutout at No. 3 to complete the sweep.
It was much the same story in singles play as all six Hilltoppers prevailed in straight sets. Valencia and Agudelo didn't lose a game in their wins at Nos. 3 and 5 singles, respectively. No. 1 Cliffe and No. 2 Agarwal prevailed by identical 6-2 6-0 counts while No. 4 Pena-Aceves coasted by scores of 6-1 and 6-1. Olson took the No. 6 singles point 6-2 and 6-1.
The WLU women will be back on the road Saturday for a match against Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
West Liberty 7, California (Pa.) 0
Singles
Gemma Cliffe (WLU) d. Laura Vargas, 6-2 6-0
Ishika Agarwal (WLU) d. Fallon Winseck, 6-2 6-0
Nathalia Valencia (WLU) d. Charlie Gallagher, 6-0 6-0
Jacqueline Pena-Aceves (WLU) d. Carmen Duran, 6-1 6-1
Luisa Agudelo (WLU) d. Kylie Feltenberger, 6-0 6-0
Alexandra Olson (WLU) d. Julia McDaniel, 6-2 6-1
Doubles
Cliffe/Agarwal (WLU) d. Vargas/Duran, 6-2
Agudelo/Pena-Aceves (WLU) d. Gallagher/Winseck, 6-2
Valencia/Olson (WLU) d. McDaniel/Feltenberger, 6-0
