March 7, 2005

Cullowhee, N.C. - The Western Carolina women's tennis team won all three of its dual matches last week played in Hilton Head, S.C. The Cats defeated St. John's-Fisher (9-0), Bridgewater College (7-0), and Mercyhurst College (5-2) to pull their season record to 3-4 overall.

Four Catamounts were a perfect 3-0 in singles matches over the three-days in Hilton Head, led by the number one singles player, freshman Tricia Hanson. She earned victories over Jessica Snyder of St. John's-Fisher (6-0, 6-0), Anne Yust of Bridgewater (6-3, 6-1), and Natalie Paparella of Mercyhurst (6-3, 6-2). Hanson's classmate, Ashley Harris, only dropped one game in six sets, earning the 6-0 victory in the five other sets.

Third-seeded senior Kristen Cotton nearly duplicated the performance of Harris, dropping a mere two games in three matches, winning 6-0 in the four other sets. Also earning a perfect record on the week was freshman Susanna Sjokvist, with juniors Katherine Ptak April Yount dropping their singles matches versus Mercyhurst on March 2.

In doubles-action, the Catamounts were nearly perfect, winning eight of the nine meetings while capturing all three of the possible points that were up for grabs in the dual matches. The teams of Hanson/Ptak and Cotton/Harris were 3-0 on the week, while Sjokvist/Yount fell to Mercyhurst's Jamie Sutyak and Christine Mersch, 8-4.

Western pounces into Southern Conference play tomorrow afternoon (Tues., Mar. 8) as it hosts the College of Charleston at 2:00 pm. The match will be held on the Courts at Reid Gym. The Catamounts will continue the four-match homestand by hosting Coastal Carolina, UNC Greensboro, and Davidson this weekend in Cullowhee.

Western Carolina vs. St. John's-Fisher
Monday, February 28, 2005

Singles
Tricia Hanson (WCU) d. Jessica Snyder (SJF), 6-0, 6-0
Katherine Ptak (WCU) d. Laura Henninqson (SJF), 6-2, 6-0
Kristin Cotton (WCU) d. Megan Peters (SJF), 6-0, 6-0
Ashley Harris (WCU) d. Kate Griffin (SJF), 6-0, 6-0
Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) d. Alicia Kaucher (SJF), 6-0, 6-0
April Yount (WCU) d. Brittany Hall (SJF), 6-3, 6-3

Doubles
Hanson/Ptak (WCU) d. Peters/Griffin (SJF), 8-1
Cotton/Harris (WCU) d. Henninqson/Snyder (SJF), 8-1
Sjokvist/Yount (WCU) d. Hall/Kaucher (SJF), 8-1

Western Carolina vs. Bridgewater College
Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Singles
Tricia Hanson (WCU) d. Ann Yust (BC), 6-3, 6-1
Katherine Ptak (WCU) d. Sarah Taylor (BC), 6-0, 6-0
Kristin Cotton (WCU) d. Hilary Teeter (BC), 6-1, 6-0
Ashley Harris (WCU) d. Diana Ricker (BC), 6-0, 6-0
Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) d. Sharon Sweet (BC), 6-1, 6-1
April Yount (WCU) d. Mallory Hall (BC), 6-3, 6-0

Doubles
Hanson/Ptak (WCU) d. Yust/Taylor (BC), 8-0
Cotton/Harris (WCU) d. Teeter/Ricker (BC), 8-2
Sjokvist/Yount (WCU) d. Sweet/K. Green (BC), 8-0

Western Carolina vs. Mercyhurst College
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Singles
Tricia Hanson (WCU) d. Natalie Paparella (MC), 6-3, 6-2
Charity Siegmund (MC) d. Katherine Ptak (WCU), 6-2, 6-0
Kristin Cotton (WCU) d. Joanna Olmstead (MC), 6-0, 6-1
Ashley Harris (WCU) d. Jamie Sutyak (MC), 6-0, 6-1
Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) d. Jennifer Daly (MC), 6-2, 6-2
Christine Mersch (MC) d. April Yount (WCU), 6-4, 6-2

Doubles
Hanson/Ptak (WCU) d. Paparella/Siegmund (MC), 8-6
Cotton/Harris (WCU) d. Olmstead/Daly (MC), 8-1
Sutyak/Mersch (MC) d. Sjokvist/Yount (WCU), 8-4