YONKERS, N.Y. - - The Wilmington University tennis team dropped a hard-fought and close battle to St. Thomas Aquinas in the NCAA Division II Round of 32, 4-3, coming down to the final match at the Yonkers Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.
The loss ends the Wildcats' season with a 16-6 overall record. The Wildcats claimed their third consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship in the fall, going 9-1 in conference play to win the Regular Season Championship as well.
On Saturday, the Wildcats dropped the doubles' point but fought back in the singles competitions to take a lead in the match. Trailing 3-2, the Spartans won the final two matches to comeback and claim the victory over the Wildcats.
The Spartans took doubles matches at No. 1 and No. 2 to take the point, winning by identical scores of 6-2.
St. Thomas Aquinas took a 2-0 lead with a win at No. 4 singles, 6-1 and 6-1, but then the Wildcats got on the board. Alva Norberg gave the Wildcats their first point with a win at No. 2 singles, 6-1 and 6-3, before Jessica Purdy tied the match with a win at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 5-7, and 6-1.
Marley Trifunovic put the Wildcats in front, 3-2, with a win at No. 5 singles, 6-4, 1-6, and 6-3. Larize Nel took a 4-3 lead in the third set at No. 6 singles, but then Kateryna Kryuchkova fought back and won the final three sets to take the match, 5-7, 7-5 and 6-4, and tie the match, 3-3.
All eyes went to court No. 3 as Valentina Ivankovic and Elise Semmartin were locked in a tough battle. Ivankovic won the first set, 6-3, before Semmartin won the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-5), to force a third and deciding set. Semmartin raced out to a 5-1 lead in the third set, but then Ivankovic closed the gap with a break and then another, eventually tying the set, 5-5. Tied 30-30, Semmartin scored the last two points to move ahead, 6-5. Ivankovic fought off two match points to tie the game, 40-40, but then Semmartin took the deuce point to win the set, 7-5, the individual match, and the team match, 4-3.
With the win, the Spartans advance to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament which will be played in part of the 2024 NCAA Division II Spring Festival around the Orlando, Florida, area.