BREVARD, N.C. - Western Carolina picked up its first win of the 2011 season with a 6-1 victory over Brevard College. The win also gives first-year head coach Chris Wollett his first collegiate victory.
Both teams battled in the beginning with the doubles point coming down to the number-two match featuring WCU's Izabella Glinska and Karen Jimenez against Brevard's duo of Shaeffer and Nyman. After working the set to a tie, Glinska and Jimenez picked up the victory in the tiebreaker set 7- 4. The doubles pair of Ainhoa Iglesias Diaz and Carolina Lainez picked up their third straight doubles victory, defeating Lindsay Hostetter and Claire Dillman 8-2. The pair has won their first three matches by scores of 8-5, 8-2, and 8-2.
"The number-two doubles match really gave our team the spark we needed today," said Wollett.
"They were down 7-3 before they made the comeback to push the match into the tie-break. There was a lot of positive body language from that match that really just set the tone for us for the rest of the afternoon."
In singles competition, junior Ainhoa Iglesias Diaz picked up her second straight victory at the number-three spot, defeating Lindsay Hostetter 6-1, 6-1.
Senior Izabella Glinska fought for her point on Court 1. After picking up the first set 6-3, Glinska fell to Shaeffer 2-6. Glinska notched the point for the Catamounts by picking up the tiebreaker 10-5.
"Izabella (Glinska) and then Katie (Barry) both battled to three sets," said Wollett. "She did a good job of not losing her head and staying focused after she lost the second set. She then regrouped and got it going again the third set. It was good to see her do that."
Carolina Lainez made quick work of Claire Dillman picking up a 6-4, 6-0 win. Karen Jimenez and Layne Arnold picked up their first wins of the season, winning their matches 6-0, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-4, respectively.
The lone blemish for the Catamounts was a close loss at the number-six position. Brevard College's Elise Labus defeated Katie Barry in a match that required a tie-break set to find a winner. After falling 4-6 in the first set, Barry defeated Labus 6-1 in set number two. In the tie-break, Labus put an end to the match by a score of 10-2.
The defeat of the Tornados of Brevard College is the fourth straight win over Brevard for WCU.
"It was good for us to get a win under our belts to head into the match with Jacksonville University with confidence. We know that it will be a tough battle, but not one that's out of our reach," added Wollett.
Western Carolina will be back in action on Sunday as the Catamounts travel to the Sunshine State to take on Jacksonville University.