LOS ANGELES - No. 19 Trinity University Women's Tennis split a pair of matches to open a four-match Southern California weekend Friday as it collected a shutout of Occidental College after a hard-fought loss at Caltech, 6-3.
The Tigers had entered the day undefeated in NCAA III competition but responded to its first in-division loss with their third shutout victory of the 2022 campaign.
Trinity 3, at Caltech 6
Trinity found early success in doubles action. Senior Megan Flores (Houston, Texas / Clear Lake) and sophomore Cate Cushing (Colleyville, Texas / Colleyville Heritage) put together a strong 8-2 performance from the first line, followed by the rookie pair of Olivia Kim (Phoenix, Ariz. / Desert Mountain) and Ruth Hill (Abilene, Texas / Abilene) with a second-line 8-6 victory for a 2-1 advantage on the team line.
Hill continued on for a pair of 6-1 tallies from the third line of individual action to represent the Tigers' final point on the afternoon. Trinity was within reach as Kim collected a 6-4 first-set win before falling in a third-set superbreaker and Cushing came near a first-set victory herself but fell, 7-5 before a 6-2 second set.
Trinity 9, at Occidental 0
The Tigers' third shutout victory of the season came against stubborn foes in the Occidental Tigers. Kim and Hill opened the action with a swift 8-2 doubles tally from the second line, followed by a pair of 8-6 marks from both line one (Flores and Cushing) and third-line pair first-year Sam Miller (Georgetown, Texas / Georgetown) and sophomore Ellie Hughes (Austin, Texas / Vandegrift).
Sophomore Elodie Richard (Allen, Texas / Allen) collected the fifth point in the match following first-year Jenna Lee's (San Clemente, Calif. / Jserra Catholic) 7-5, 6-0 performance: the lone set shutout of the contest. Richard earned her first clincher of the season with her 6-3, 6-4 tally in the fourth line.
For the first time in her young collegiate career, Hill had to battle through a full third set but came away with the final point to seal up the shutout in line two, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Up Next
No. 19 Trinity Women's Tennis battles Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Saturday, followed by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges on Sunday, both slated for 10 a.m. PT (Noon CT) starts.
