#3 Cougars Open CAA Championship Against #6 Delaware On Thursday

Thursday, April 18

Elon, N.C.

1:00 PM

College of Charleston

Delaware

#3 Cougars Open CAA Championship Against #6 Delaware On Thursday

4/17/2019 12:01:00 PM | Women's Tennis

#3 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (14-10) vs. #6 DELAWARE (11-10)
CAA Championship Quarterfinal • Thursday, Apr. 18, 2019 • 1 p.m. ET
Jimmy Powell Tennis Center • Elon, N.C.

Live Stats: CAA Stats

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston women's tennis opens the Colonial Athletic Association Championships on Thursday afternoon with a quarterfinal matchup against the #6 seed Delaware in Elon, N.C.

Tabbed as the No. 3 seed entering the tournament with a 14-10 overall record, 3-1 against CAA opponents, the Cougars and Blue Hens face off for the second year running in the quarterfinal round after meeting in the 2018 CAA Championships. Charleston, then a #6 seed, upset Delaware, the #3 seed, 4-1, to advance to the semifinal round.

Scouting Delaware
The Blue Hens are 11-10 on the season with a 1-2 record against CAA opponents this season. Delaware fell heavily, 7-0, to William & Mary back on Mar. 16, defeated Towson 4-3 on Apr. 10 before falling to Drexel 6-1 last weekend. At the top of the ineup, Viva Laas is 6-13 on court one, Caragh Courtney 8-5 on court two. In doubles play Delaware have used 14 different combinations over the three courts with Tayo Adetunji and Sarah Hall the only doubles team with a winning record (3-0).

Quote – Head Coach Angelo Anastopoulo
"This years CAA championship is wide open and it's probably as even matched as I've seen it seen since we've been in the conference… We open up with a strong Delaware team as a #3 seed, the reverse from last year when we were able to upset them, from that experience we're well aware that they can come in and upset us this time around… We're prepared and we'll go up there and give it our all and hope for the best."

Notables
• Charleston are 2-0 all-time against Delaware.
• The Cougars and Blue Hens face off in the CAA quarterfinals for the second year running.
• Charleston earn a #3 seed for the second time in three seasons.
• Christi Woodson and Anastasia Palaska are #86 in the latest Oracle/ITA National Doubles Rankings.
• Charleston are 4-2 over their last six matchups.
• Christi Woodson has been named the CAA Singles Player of the Week twice this season, Turner Yates has earned it once.
• Woodson and Anastasia Palaska have been named CAA Doubles Team of the Week twice this season.
• Christi Woodson has won eight straight singles matches on court one (16-6 season).
• Woodson & Anastasia Palaska are 14-6 in No. 1 doubles, Sarah Zschunke & Yates are 11-8 in No. 3 doubles.

Entering The Rankings
After defeating back-to-back nationally ranked doubles teams, Christi Woodson and Anastasia Palaska entered the Oracle/ITA National Doubles Rankings at #86 this week. Woodson and Palaska defeated #41 ranked Ivone Alvaro and Elena Muller of Tulane, 6-3, also defeating #79 ranked Charlotte pair Tai Martin and Immie Cowper, 6-2. The duo are 16-6 in the number one doubles spot this season, winning their last five matchups, also going 8-2 over the last 10 matches with a 2-1 record against nationally ranked opponents.

Players of the Week
On Apr. 9 Christi Woodson was named CAA Singles Co-Player of the Week, Woodson and Anastasia Palaska earned CAA Doubles Team of the Week after both went 3-0 in number one singles and number one doubles over last weekend. Woodson and Palaska teamed up in doubles play to knock off #41 ranked ITA/Oracle duo from Tulane to earn their second CAA doubles weekly nod.

The Long Home Stand
Charleston went 7-2 between Mar. 6-17, facing nine teams in 11 days as preparation for the Colonial Athletic Association Championship held Apr. 17-20 in Elon, N.C. The long home stand began with four straight wins over Davidson, Coastal Carolina, Lehigh and Gardner-Webb, the Cougars falling to Richmond and UMASS before bouncing back with three more victories. Charleston took down Samford, George Washington and Fairfield to improve to 10-7 on the year heading into the back-end of the 2019 schedule.

The Cougars
Charleston looks to the leadership of four seniors and one junior in head coach Angelo Anastapoulo's 28^th season in charge. Laura Arciniegas, 2018 All-CAA Singles Second Team selection Christi Woodson, Turner Yates and Sarah Zschunke return alongside Anastasia Palaska, Ava Turner and Catalina Medici from a 2018 squad that finished 17-11 in the CAA Semifinal round. Newcomers include sophomore Eva Nyikos, a transfer from North Florida and sister to last season's senior Helena Nyikos, alongside Clara Errard and Lily LaBiche.