WILMINGTON, Del. - - Gloria Barcaro raced in to cover the short return, but watched as the ball landed in the net, sparking a celebration as the rest of the Wilmington University women's tennis team joined her on Court 6 after clinching the fourth consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship on Sunday afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
The Wildcats (12-0) defeated Chestnut Hill (14-5), 4-1, to complete an undefeated fall season. They have won the CACC Regular Season and Tournament Championship in each season since 2021.
The 2024 version was exceptionally special, as the team only returned two student-athletes from last year's squad and welcomed in five freshmen to the program at the start of the year.
On Sunday, the Wildcats started by taking the doubles point. Ming-Fu Chen and Ines Oliveira started 5-0 at No. 1 before winning, 6-2, and then Kushi Khandoji and Siana MacDonald followed shortly after with a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles.
Chestnut Hill tied the match with a win at No.1. singles, but then the Wildcats took over.
Siana MacDonald made it 2-1 with a 6-3 and 6-0 win at No. 2 singles before Kushi Khandoji made it a 3-1 game with a 6-1 and 6-2 win at No. 5. Gloria Barcaro then closed out the Championship with a 6-3 and 6-0 win at No. 6 singles, starting the celebration.
For her clinching matches, Barcaro was named the CACC Tournament MVP while teammates Siana MacDonald, Molly Carlberg, and Kushi Khandoji were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
With the win, the Wildcats earn the CACC's automatic qualification into the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament slated for May. The Wildcats will return to action in March and compete in a Spring season to warm up for the Regional Tournament.
