TOLEDO, Ohio – Freshman Gaby Rondon clinched match point for the Toledo women's tennis team over Western Michigan on Saturday afternoon in the Mid-American Conference opener for both squads. Saturday's win was also the 11^th-straight home win (4-0 this season) for the Rockets since January of 2023.

"It was definitely a special way to start our Mid-American Conference season," Head Coach Tracy Mauntler said. "This was a 4-3 match last year and I think this result shows not only the physical improvements we've made, but the mental ones as well. Beating a team 7-0 that has the rich history that WMU has means so much to this program and shows how far we've come. Super proud of this squad."

Despite the Rockets' sweep, the Broncos did not go down without a fight.

Senior Julia Kuszynski did not waste any time getting the Rockets on the board in singles play, winning the No. 6 court in two sets in 53 minutes and only losing one game to Julia Frazier. The battle of the Audrey's took place on the No. 5 court, with sophomore Audrey Moutama winning back-to-back sets over Audrey Smitek to put Toledo at match point. Rondon sealed the deal from the No. 3 court for her first MAC singles win that clinched match point for the Rockets.

Senior Shalini Tallamraju trailed 4-1 in her first set to Polina Khotko, fought back to even, and only fell 6-4 in the opening set. Tallamraju won the second set by the same margin and won her match following a 10-3 super tiebreaker decision. Senior Cassie Alcala recorded her 91^st career singles win from the top court to put UT ahead 6-0 in the match.

WMU's Valeriya Monko won the opening set from the No. 2 court, but senior Sloane Teske was not fazed. Teske bounced back to win the second set, 6-3, and had already started the tiebreaker when Rondon clinched the match. Teske got the last win of the afternoon in a 7-6 (4) final game.

Toledo won the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles courts to earn the team point and take a 1-0 lead into singles play.

Toledo (8-4, 1-0 MAC) will play two matches next week, at Buffalo on March 22 and back at home to host the first installment of the Battle of I-75 with Bowling Green on March 24.

Toledo 7, Western Michigan 0
Singles
1. Cassie Alcala (TOL) def. Lindsey Zieglar (WMU) 6-4, 7-6(2)
2. Sloane Teske (TOL) def. Valeriya Monko (WMU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
3. Gaby Rondon (TOL) def. Ariane Souligny (WMU) 6-3, 7-5
4. Shalini Tallamraju (TOL) def. Polina Khotko (WMU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-3
5. Audrey Moutama (TOL) def. Audrey Smitek (WMU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Julia Kuszynski (TOL) def. Julia Frazier (WMU) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles
1. Cassie Alcala/ Julia Kuszynski (TOL) def. Valeriya Monko/ Lindsey Zieglar (WMU) 6-2
2. Sloane Teske/ Audrey Moutama (TOL) vs. Audrey Smitek/ Julia Frazier (WMU) 4-5, unfinished
3. Gaby Rondon/ Shalini Tallamraju (TOL) def. Karin Hamilton/ Polina Khotko (WMU) 6-3