Women's tennis earns first win of 2026

ROME, Ga. – The No. 6 Loyola Wolf Pack women's tennis team bounced back from a loss Friday at the 2026 ITA NAIA National Women's Team Indoor Championship, earning the team's first win of the season. The Pack claimed a 4-1 win over No. 13 Holy Cross Saturday at the Rome Tennis Center.

Loyola (1-2) qualified for the national indoor tournament as one of the top seven teams from last season, marking the program's first appearance in the ITA Indoor Championship. After a loss to No. 5 Tennessee Wesleyan on Friday, Loyola is 1-1 at the tournament and will play one more indoor match on Sunday.

Holy Cross was competing with only five players, giving Loyola walkover wins at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles. The Pack also got a win from Bianca Harris and Presha Shanthamoorthi at No. 2 doubles to secure the doubles point, meaning Loyola went into singles play already up 2-0 in the match. 

The Saints did get a win at No. 2 singles to get on the scoreboard, but Loyola responded with two other straight-sets victories to clinch the match. Avrora Volkova cruised at No. 4 singles after a tougher first set, winning 7-5, 6-1. Micaela Ponce then closed out the match with a big tiebreak win against a ranked opponent, taking down No. 11 Victoria Savvides 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Sofia Amodu was also one game away from a court 5 win, 6-4, 6-5, before the match was stopped. 

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Results

No. 6 Loyola – 4

No. 13 Holy Cross – 1

Doubles
1. Ponce/Fereres (LOYNO) vs. Savvides/Gonzales-Edwards (HCC) 6-5, unfinished
2. Shanthamoorthi/Harris (LOYNO) def. Francois/Vanderhyde (HCC) 6-2
3. Frierson/Amodu (LOYNO) wins by default
Order of finish: 3, 2

Singles
1. Micaela Ponce (LOYNO) def. #11 Victoria Savvides (HCC) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
2. #22 Leah Gonzales-Edwards (HCC) def. Juliette Finch (LOYNO) 6-0, 6-2
3. Avery Frierson (LOYNO) vs. Sofia Carvalho Rocha (HCC) 6-7 (4-7), 2-1, unfinished
4. Avrora Volkova (LOYNO) def. Anna Vanderhyde (HCC) 7-5, 6-1
5. Sofia Amodu (LOYNO) vs. Virginie Francois (HCC) 6-4, 6-5, unfinished
6. Bianca Harris (LOYNO) wins by default
Order of finish: 6, 2, 4, 1