WILMINGTON, Del. - - It came down to the final match, but the Wilmington University women's tennis team defeated NCAA Division I and in-state foe Delaware State, 4-3, on Tuesday afternoon at the Delcastle Tennis Center.
After losing the doubles point, the Wildcats (12-2) needed to win four singles matches to claim the win over the Division I opponent. It came down to Gloria Barcaro at No. 6 singles, and the senior got it done.
Siana MacDonald and Ines Oliveira won at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, to keep the point alive, but the Hornets clinched the point with a win at No. 1 doubles, 6-3.
Molly Carlberg tied the match, 1-1, with a win at No. 3 singles, 6-3 and 6-2, but then the Hornets responded with wins at No. 5 and No. 1 singles, 3-1. Ming-Fu Chen kept the Wildcats alive with a third set superset victory at No. 4 singles. After dropping the first set, she fought back with a 7-5 win in the second. She then closed out the super set with a hard fought 11-9 win in the third set to take the match.
Siana MacDonald did the same as Chen, fighting back after dropping the first set at No. 2 singles. MacDonald won the second set, 6-4, to force a third set, ultimately winning the match with a 10-7 superset victory. MacDonald tied the match, 3-3.
With all eyes at No. 6 singles, Gloria Barcaro held off the Hornets' Hannah Watkins with a straight set victory. Barcaro needed a first set tiebreaker to narrowly defeat her opponent, 7-6 (8-6), and then held her off with a 6-4 victory in set two.
The Wildcats have little time to rest before their next match, making up a match at the District of Columbia tomorrow afternoon. The Wildcats and Firebirds begin at 12:00 p.m. in Washington, D.C.
