Men's and Women's Tennis Weekly Honors - Feb. 26
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (February 26, 2020) – The CAA has recognized seven men’s and women’s tennis players for impressive performances last week.
Delaware sophomore
James Wilkinson (Hertfordshire, England) and the William & Mary team of freshman
George Davis (London, England) and senior
Brenden Volk (Dix Hills, N.Y.) earned CAA men’s tennis accolades. Picking up honors on the women’s side were Hofstra sophomore
Katherine Kachkarov (Flushing, N.Y.), Elon sophomore
Victoria Saldh (Gothenburg, Sweden) and the William & Mary duo of seniors
Rosie Cheng (Auckland, New Zealand) and
Natalia Perry (Export, Pa.).
Wilkinson was honored as the CAA men’s tennis Player of the Week after recording a 6-2, 6-4 victory over James Madison’s Paul Mendoza at No. 1 singles to help Delaware secure a 4-3 team victory over the Dukes. It was the first CAA win for the Blue Hens since 2013 and their first triumph over JMU since 2009. Wilkinson improved to 6-1 this season and registered his 20
th career singles victory. Delaware upped its team record to 8-1, which is its best start since 1994-95.
Davis and Volk received their third straight CAA men’s Doubles Team of the Week award after posting a 2-0 mark at No. 1 doubles as William & Mary earned road wins at Ivy League members Yale (6-1) and Brown (4-2). The duo outlasted Yale’s Michael Sun and Amav Dhingra, 7-6 (8) to clinch the doubles point for the second time this season. They followed by beating Brown’s Ching Lam and Roger Chou, 6-2, to help the Tribe pick up the doubles point for the seventh consecutive match. Davis and Volk are a perfect 7-0 at the top doubles spot this season.
Kachkarov was chosen as the CAA women’s tennis Co-Player of the Week following a 3-0 week at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. Playing at No. 1, the sophomore battled past Sacred Heart’s Brianne Lauria, 7-6, 1-6, 6-0, in a 4-0 team triumph over the Pioneers. Competing at No. 2, she rallied for a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Rhode Island’s Tiara Higuchi and then followed by topping Bryant’s Ada Boru, 6-2, 6-4. Kachkarov leads the Pride with 10 singles victories this season.
Saldh was also named CAA women’s tennis Co-Player of the Week after leading Elon to team victories over Gardner-Webb (4-1) and CAA foe UNCW (5-2). Competing at No. 2 singles, the sophomore cruised past Gardner-Webb’s Daniela Naupari, 6-2, 6-2, and then clinched the match against UNCW with a hard-fought 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over the Seahawks’ Rachel Marthinsen. Saldh improved her singles record to 8-2 this season.
Cheng and Perry were selected as the CAA women’s Doubles Team of the Week after helping William & Mary earn the doubles point against No. 48 East Carolina and No. 21 Wisconsin last week. Playing at the No. 2 spot, the duo beat ECU’s Nastja Rettich and Michelle Ncube, 6-3, in the Tribe’s 4-2 team win over the Pirates. They followed by edging Wisconsin’s Ava Markham and Miruna Tudor, 7-5, to even the doubles competition. For the season, Cheng and Perry are 3-0 at the No. 2 doubles position.