March 10, 2010

Cullowhee, N.C. - The Western Carolina women's tennis team returns to action on Thursday as they visit in-state rival Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. at 2:00 p.m. WCU will travel to Elon and Davidson on Saturday and Sunday to resume Southern Conference play. Thursday's match with Garnder-Webb has been postponed due to inclement weather.

The Catamounts (1-4) have lost four consecutive matches after opening the season with a 6-1 victory over Brevard College. WCU dropped a 4-0 decision to Longwood University on Monday at the Catamount Athletic Complex.

On Thursday, WCU will face Gardner-Webb, who is 5-3 on the season. The Bulldogs have defeated a pair of Southern Conference opponents in Appalachian State, 6-1, and Wofford, 5-2.

Elon enters this weekend with a 9-3, 1-0 SoCon record and an undefeated mark at home. The Phoenix have won seven out of their last eight contests with their only blemish a 7-0 lost to No. 11 North Carolina. Meanwhile, Davidson opens conference play with a 7-2 record after a 5-2 victory over Richmond on Monday. This weekend's Southern Conference matches with Elon and Davidson will both start at 1:00 p.m.

WCU fell in a pair of matches to Georgia Southern (0-7) and the College of Charleston (0-7) in the opening weekend of Southern Conference action.

Ainhoa Iglesias Díaz and Karen Jiménez Sarmiento lead the Catamounts with a 2-2 record in dual matches this season. Iglesias Díaz, a sophomore, has fared well in the four-spot for WCU, including leading in her last match over Longwood before the set was ruled unfinished due to travel constraints. Jiménez Sarmiento has fared well in the fifth singles spot for the Cats with her last win over Mercer's Stephanie Cohen (7-6, 6-2) on Feb. 20.

Live stats of Saturday's match with Elon will be available online through ElonPhoenix.com. Recaps of this week's action will also be online at CatamountSports.com.

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