WKU tennis sweeps Pacific 7-0

Published 6:00 pm Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Western Kentucky’s women’s tennis squad completed its perfect California road trip Tuesday, sweeping Pacific 7-0 at the Eve Zimmerman Center in Stockton, Calif.

The Lady Toppers improved to 9-3 for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.

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The victory over Pacific (4-4) marked Jonatan Berhane’s 25th win at WKU. The third-year head coach became the third-fastest to reach 25 wins in program history.

In doubles play, the Tigers started off hot, winning 6-0 on court three. The WKU duos of seniors Elpida Malamou and Andreanna Christopoulou and freshmen Cindy Oest and Natalia De Ugarte edged the Tigers’ 1-2 doubles punch by the same score of 7-6 to claim the doubles point.

In singles play, Malamou lost the first set, 4-6, but rallied and earned the victory over Pacific’s Maayan Sela 6-4, 7-5.

Oest played in a tiebreaker against Anna Ramos Vinolas and notched a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) triumph. De Ugarte lost her first set as well but grinded out a win over Sabrina Rodriguez 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Christopoulou, Monica Malinen and Violetta Shatalova – who won her seventh straight – secured their victories in straight sets.

WKU will return to action Saturday for a neutral-site match against Butler at 11 a.m. in Nashville.