CULLOWHEE, N.C. (April 5, 2019) – After enjoying three straight home matches, the Bucs hit the road to take on the Western Carolina Catamounts on Friday afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex. ETSU remains undefeated in the SoCon with a 6-1 win over the Catamounts to improve to 10-9 and 5-0. Western Carolina falls to 12-8, 2-4.

ETSU took control of the match after taking the doubles point. Yunuen Elizarraras (Cuernavaca, Mexico) and Andrea Pascual-Larrinaga (Basauri, Spain) defeated Lauren McCall and Alexa Webb 6-4 at the No. 3 spot. Yi Chi Ma (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) and Raquel Amaro (Caracas, Venezuela) would clinch the doubles point with a 7-6 (2-0) win at the No. 2 spot over Jacy Smith and Julia Pezzuco.

Shifting their momentum into singles action, Elizarraras picked up her second win of the day, playing at the No. 5 spot. She won 6-0, 6-2 over Carli Deehr. Ma’s doubles partner Amaro would also go undefeated, as she won her 15^th match of the season. Amaro defeated Savannah Taranto 6-2, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot. Pascual-Larrinaga won her third straight singles win and clinched the match for the Bucs after winning 6-1, 6-3 over Lauren McCall. The Catamounts would get on the board at the No. 2 spot after Alejandra Morales (Santiago, Chile) fell to Jacy Smith 6-4, 3-6, 10-7. Freshman Laylo Bakhodirova (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) won her first match of the day after a 6-2, 7-6 (4-0) win over Jordan Strickland at the No. 1 spot. Winning her third consecutive match was Yi Chi Ma who defeated Julia Pezzuco 6-3, 4-6, 12-10 at the No. 6 spot.

ETSU returns to action on Wednesday, April 10 when they host UNCG. The match is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Dave Mullins Tennis Complex and it will be the Bucs’ final home match of the season.

Singles competition

1. Laylo Bakhodirova (ETSUW) def. Jordan Strickland (WCU) 6-2, 7-6 (4-0)
2. Jacy Smith (WCU) def. Alejandra Morales (ETSUW) 6-4, 3-6, 10-7
3. A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSUW) def. Lauren McCall (WCU) 6-1, 6-3
4. Raquel Amaro (ETSUW) def. Savannah Taranto (WCU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Yunuen Elizarraras (ETSUW) def. Carli Deehr (WCU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Yi Chi Ma (ETSUW) def. Julia Pezzuco (WCU) 6-3, 4-6, 12-10

Doubles competition

1. Savannah Taranto/Jordan Strickland (WCU) def. Laylo Bakhodirova/Alejandra Morales (ETSUW) 7-6
2. Yi Chi Ma/Raquel Amaro (ETSUW) def. Jacy Smith/Julia Pezzuco (WCU) 7-6 (2-0)
3. Yunuen Elizarraras/A. Pascual-Larrinaga (ETSUW) def. Lauren McCall/Alexa Webb (WCU) 6-4

Match Notes: ETSU women's tennis 10-9, 5-0 Western Carolina 12-8, 2-4 Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,4,3,2,1,6)

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For more information on Buccaneer women’s tennis visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women’s tennis page.