Castrillon earned her 2nd straight win at No. 6 singles.
Castrillon earned her 2nd straight win at No. 6 singles.

Firebirds Win 6th Straight, 4-3 vs. Wilmington

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia women's tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over regional non-conference opponent, Wilmington University, on Wednesday afternoon at Southeast Tennis & Learning Center.

The Firebirds have now won six straight matches as they improved to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in non-conference play this season. Wilmington, a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, fell to 4-4 overall with the loss.

UDC first claimed the doubles point by winning the No. 1 and 2 matches. Sophomore transfer Simoné Pärn and junior transfer Marija Milic teamed up for their 6th straight victory, 6-3 over Laura Gil and Andrea Ribalta at No. 1 doubles, and following a UDC loss at No. 3 doubles, sophomore Anastasiia Danylova and twice-reigning East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week Joanna Skrzypczynska earned a hard-fought, 5th straight victory, 7-6 (5) at No. 2.

In singles play, Milic's five-match win streak came to a halt when she was forced to retire in the 2nd set, trailing Marie Rondot, 6-3, 4-0. With Rondot's win, the Wildcats evened the match score, 1-1.

UDC responded, however, by winning the next three concluded singles matches to clinch the victory. First, Estefania Castrillon knocked off Sabrina Blasi-Smith, 6-0, 6-4 at No. 6, then Pärn extended her win streak to six matches with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Anushka Sathe at No. 1, and at No. 3, Skrzypczynska bested a First Team All-CACC performer from a year ago, Laura Gil, 6-0, 7-5.

Though Wilmington went on to win the No. 4 and 5 singles matches, UDC had already clinched the team victory with four points, as the Firebirds won by a score of 4-3.

Next, UDC will play the first of three straight ECC matches to end the regular season, taking on St. Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill, NY on Fri., Oct. 12 at 12 p.m.