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6 CAVALIER CORNER cavalier sports V irginia women's tennis head coach Sara O'Leary picked up her 100th win for the Cavaliers in the final match of the regular season. We caught up with her after her team's third straight run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championship for Five Questions. Cavalier Corner: You picked up your 100th win at Wake Forest to close out the regular season. How does it feel to tally that benchmark victory? O'Leary: "I actually had no idea that it was win number 100. My first reaction was just how grateful I am to all of the players, coaches and staff who have helped [as- sistant coach] Gina [Suarez-Malaguti] and I get to this point. "I'm just really grateful for the support, help and the fact that I get to coach at the University of Virginia." Cavalier Corner: In your 100 wins, are there a couple that stand out as the most memorable? O'Leary: "There are definitely many matches that stand out to me but two in particular from last year. Beating Stanford during ITA Kickoff Weekend to make it to the ITA National Indoors tournament was such a special match because we had never beaten Stanford before. Plus, the match was tied at 3-3 and was decided at No. 1 singles between Emma Navarro and Connie Ma, who were two of the best players in college tennis last year so the level was incredible. "Our win over UNC in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament is another one. We had never beaten UNC, and they were ranked No. 1 in the country, so to beat my alma mater and do it in the conference tourna- ment was definitely really special." Cavalier Corner: All 100 of your UVA victories have come while working with Gina Suarez-Malaguti on your coaching staff. What impact has she made on your success? O'Leary: "She's been a huge part of the program. I actually coached Gina when I was an assistant coach at UNC so we have known each other now for 15 years. "She's extremely hard-working, loyal and a student of the game who is always trying to get better. She has built tremendous relationships with the players and has been a great role model to so many players over the years. I'm so thankful for her commitment and for having her by my side every step of this journey." Cavalier Corner: Multi-time All-American Natasha Subhash has said that she is com- ing back for a fifth year next year. What does it mean to you to have someone like her anchoring your squad? O'Leary: "We are thrilled! Natasha is someone who is always doing the right thing on and off the court. She leads by example through her work ethic, her problem-solving abilities, her ability to connect with her team- mates and coaches and her accomplish- ments on the court and in the classroom. "She is an All-American and an Academic All-American while studying in the McIntire School of Commerce. She's also just a re- ally good person with a great heart." Cavalier Corner: It was obviously a big blow to have Emma Navarro go pro after last season, but how great has it been to watch her have so much success as a pro, moving into the top 100 of the world rankings in less than a year? O'Leary: "It's incredible, and I couldn't be happier for her. I know it was a tough decision for her to leave last year because I know how much she enjoyed college tennis and the team atmosphere it brought, but she is showing that she is one of the best players in the world. "She is going after her dreams, and we are supporting her 100 percent." — Melissa Dudek five questions with Women's Tennis Head Coach Sara O'Leary O'Leary, who picked up her 100th win at UVA in the regular-season finale, guided the Cavaliers to the round of 16 in the NCAA Cham- pionship for the third straight year and the eighth time in program history. (Photo courtesy UVA)