Wingate, N.C.----The 19th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs kept their perfect season intact in impressive style Saturday afternoon, knocking off the sixth-ranked Cougars of Columbus State in NCAA Division II women's tennis action. The 'Dogs improve to 7-0 on the season, while the Cougars fall to 6-3 overall. The sixth-ranked Cougars are the highest ranked opponent the 'Dogs have defeated in program history.

THOUGHTS FROM MICHAEL CABANA

"It was a great win for our ladies today! It was a very high level of tennis and I am proud of the way they fought. It was a signature win for the program!"

DOUBLES

- Wingate's number one doubles team of Michela Verpelli and Alisa Rudenko rolled to a 6-0 win
- CSU's number one doubles team entered the match ranked second nationally
- Claudia De Andreis and Chyli Lee prevailed 6-4 at number two singles
- Columbus State's number two doubles team is ranked 10th nationally
- Sydney Homan and Camilla Ciaccia were tied 4-4 at three doubles when the 'Dogs clinched the point
- Wingate took a 1-0 lead into singles play

SINGLES

- Rudenko rolled to a 6-4, 6-2 win at two singles, knocking off the nation's 22nd-ranked player to give Wingate a 2-0 lead
- Riann Hsu fell 6-3, 6-1 at three singles to the 46th-ranked player in the country
- Lee dropped a tough 6-4, 2-6, 3-6 match at four singles to the number 10 player in the nation
- Verpelli's 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win at one singles over the 25th-ranked player tied the match 3-3
- De Andreis won the clincher at five singles, prevailing 6-3, 6-2 over the nation's 18th-ranked player
- Ciaccia fell 4-6, 6-2, 0-1 at six singles

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Tuesday, hosting Limestone at 2 p.m.
- The Bulldogs return to SAC play at Anderson next Saturday at 2 p.m.