Cal Poly women’s tennis loses at USC in opening round of NCAA
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Cal Poly women's tennis program saw its historic season come to an end Friday as the Mustangs fell to No. 11 USC 4-0 in the First Round of the NCAA Championships at Marks Tennis Stadium.
Making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2011, the Mustangs fought valiantly against the high-powered Trojans (19-8), but were unable to advance to the Second Round for the first time in program history.
In doubles, graduate student Melissa LaMette and Romane Mosse gave the 60th-ranked doubles pairing in the country everything they could handle at No. 2, but it wasn't enough as they came up short 6-4, allowing USC to secure the doubles point.
Sophomore Kennedy Buntrock had a standout performance in singles, becoming the fifth player in program history to win a set in the NCAA Tournament when she emerged victorious in the second set of her match at No. 6 6-2. Buntrock was leading 2-0 in the third set when the Trojans clinched the match.
Fifth-year Delanie Dunkle (No. 1) and junior Romane Mosse (No. 4) battled extremely hard in their respective singles against ranked opponents.
The First Round defeat officially put an end to a remarkable season for the Mustangs. As the No. 5 seed, Cal Poly made an incredible run in the conference tournament to capture its second Big West Championship in program history and punch its ticket to the NCAA Championships for the third time in school history.
Cal Poly had four All-Big West honorees this season and head coach Ellie Edles Williams was named Big West Coach of the Year. In the latest ITA national team rankings released Thursday, the Mustangs checked in at No. 72, marking the first time since the end of the 2022 season the team has been nationally ranked.
The future is bright for the Cal Poly women's tennis program. The Mustangs lose Melissa LaMette and Delanie Dunkle — two integral members of the team — to graduation, but return everyone else next season.
(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)
