CULLOWHEE, N.C. --- The Tusculum University women's tennis team participated in the Western Carolina Fall Invitational over the weekend, competing against three Division I opponents over the two-day event.
The Pioneers won nine of the 17 singles matches they competed in against the host Catamounts, USC Upstate and UNC Asheville. Julia Lopez won all three of her singles contests, with two wins by both Caitlin McCullough and Annie McCuloough. Emilie Hansen and Rory Church also had wins for the Pioneers in singles, while the McCulloughs teamed for Tusculum's lone victory in doubles.
Against USC Upstate, the Pioneers won four of the five singles matches. Caitlin McCullough beat Maria Jardim 6-3, 6-3 at flight one, Lopez downed Gabriela Cevallos 6-3, 6-4 at flight three, Hansen beat Roberta Armani 6-1, 7-5 at flight four and Church outlasted Laura Illanes at flight five by a 6-1, 6-7, (10-5) score.
In competition against UNC Asheville, the teams split their six singles contests. Annie McCullough beat Ami Grace Dougah 6-4, 6-4 at flight one, Caitlin McCullough was a 7-5, 6-4 winner over Emily Sidor at flight two, and Lopez downed Lauren Watson-Steele 6-3, 7-5 at flight three.
The Pioneers also had two wins in their action against the Catamounts, with Annie McCullough holding off Jordan Strickland 6-7, 6-3, (10-4) at flight one and Lopez also winning via tiebreaker over Lauren McCall at flight four by a 6-4, 3-6, (10-7) score. Four of the six singles matches against Western Carolina went to a tiebreaker, with each team winning two.
Tusculum competed in doubles against UNC Asheville and Western Carolina, with the lone win coming against the Catamounts as the McCulloughs beat Strickland and Emily Elliot by a 6-3 score at flight one.
The Pioneers will head to Sumter, South Carolina this weekend for the ITA Southeast Region Tournament, which will be held at the Palmetto Athletic Center.
Singles
Caitlin McCullough (Tusculum) def. Maria Jardim (USC Upstate) 6-3, 6-3
Elin Hellberg (USC Upstate) def. Darina Mueller (Tusculum) 6-4, 6-3
Julia Lopez (Tusculum) def. Gabriela Cevallos (USC Upstate) 6-3, 6-4
Emilie Hansen (Tusculum) def. Roberta Armani (USC Upstate) 6-1, 7-5
Rory Church (Tusculum) def. Laura Illanes (USC Upstate) 6-1, 6-7, 1-0 (10-5)
Annie McCullough (Tusculum) def. Ami Grace Dougah (UNC Asheville) 6-4, 6-4
Caitlin McCullough (Tusculum) def. Emily Sidor (UNC Asheville) 7-5, 6-4
Julia Lopez (Tusculum) def. Lauren Watson-Steele (UNC Asheville) 6-3, 7-5
Taylor Love (UNC Asheville) def. Emilie Hansen (Tusculum) 7-5, 7-5
Brianna Taranto (UNC Asheville) def. Africa Mota (Tusculum) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4)
Anastasia Horvat (UNC Asheville) def. Javiera Ortiz (Tusculum) 6-0, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Annie McCullough (Tusculum) def. Jordan Strickland (Western Carolina) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 1-0 (10-4)
Jacy Smith (Western Carolina) def. Caitlin McCullough (Tusculum) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5)
Jordyn King (Western Carolina) def. Emilie Hansen (Tusculum) 6-0, 6-4
Julia Lopez (Tusculum) def. Lauren McCall (Western Carolina) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Carli Deehr (Western Carolina) def. Darina Mueller (Tusculum) 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
Emily Elliott (Western Carolina) def. Africa Mota (Tusculum) 6-0, 7-5
Doubles
Ami Grace Dougah/Brianna Taranto (UNC Asheville) def. Annie McCullough/Caitlin McCullough (Tusculum) 6-2
Lize Alet Morkel/Taylor Love (UNC Asheville) def. Darina Mueller/Emilie Hansen (Tusculum) 7-6
Emily Sidor/Anastasia Horvat (UNC Asheville) def. Africa Mota/Javiera Ortiz (Tusculum) 6-2
Annie McCullough/Caitlin McCullough (Tusculum) def. Jordan Strickland/Emily Elliott (Western Carolina) 6-3
Jacy Smith/Jordyn King (Western Carolina) def. Africa Mota/Julia Lopez (Tusculum) 6-1
Lauren McCall/Carli Deehr (Western Carolina) def. Darina Mueller/Emilie Hansen (Tusculum) 6-2