Anna 
Western Carolina women’s tennis wrapped up a perfect 3-0 week with a commanding 6-1 victory over Fairfield on Thursday. The standout moment of the match came on the top singles court, where junior Jade Groen secured her 39th career singles win, breaking the program’s all-time record.
Groen, a native of Zoetermeer, Netherlands, surpassed the previous record of 38 wins set by Jordan Strickland. She accomplished this milestone in just 52 singles matches and 63 total appearances, holding an impressive 39-13 career record.
Catamounts Dominate from Start to Finish
WCU controlled the match from the opening doubles play, securing the first point with a pair of 6-0 shutouts. The duo of Groen and Madison Schwarz notched their team-leading fifth doubles victory, while freshman Hokualohi Lui made an impressive collegiate debut alongside Angela Perez, earning a 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles.
The singles matches were all decided in straight sets, with WCU winning five of six. Groen (6-1, 6-0), Schwarz (6-2, 6-2), and Lui (6-1, 6-1) dominated their opponents, giving up no more than two games per set. Andrea Redondo (6-0, 6-4) and Angela Perez (6-0, 7-6 [7-4]) also secured wins, with Redondo joining Groen as the only players to record a shutout set. Perez’s victory marked her third straight singles win and her eighth of the season, ranking second on the team behind Groen’s 10 victories.
What’s Next for WCU?
The Catamounts return home to face NC A&T on March 21, followed by a stretch of six straight Southern Conference matches. They begin conference play against Samford on March 23 and continue a four-match homestand against UNC Greensboro (March 29) and Chattanooga (March 30).
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