By Josh Kestenbaum
Staff Writer
The College’s men’s and women’s tennis teams were both active this past week, and each team went undefeated in their matches. The men defeated all three of their opponents, crushing Kutztown University, 9-0, on Wednesday, March 25; Hobart College, 9-0, on Saturday, March 28; and University of Rochester, 6-3, on Sunday, March 29.
Junior Pierce Cooper won all three of his No. 1 singles matches this week, twice dropping the first set and fighting back to claim the victory. Cooper and fellow junior and doubles partner Billy Buchbinder were also undefeated in their three, No. 1 doubles matches, winning each in impressive fashion.
Sophomore Mike Stanley and freshmen Sean Fernandez and Chris D’Agostino also went undefeated in their three singles matches this week, playing sixth, fourth and fifth singles, respectively. The freshman duo also finished 2-1 in doubles this week, losing a close match to University of Rochester. Stanley — along with his partner, sophomore Jack August — completed the sweep this week in the second doubles spot.
“We’ve been working hard in the weight room, and we’ve been working hard on the courts,” coach Scott Dicheck said about matches on back-to-back days. “That’s why you do all that training.”
The men are now 5-1 on the season. They will return to the courts on Wednesday, April 1, against New York University at 3 p.m.
In addition to the men’s success, the women’s team also won all of their matches this week, defeating William Smith College, 6-3, on Saturday, March 28, and University of Rochester, 6-3, on Sunday, March 29.
Saturday was the spring opener for the women, and they came out ready to win. The team’s depth played a large role in the victory over William Smith. While the Lions lost in the top matches of both singles and doubles, they were successful in the other matches, winning the remaining two doubles matches and securing victories in four of the remaining five singles matches.
Another freshman duo was important for the women’s team to get the win. Brittany Reedman and Maddy Stoner each won their singles matches and then teamed up to claim a victory at second doubles. Together, they secured three points for the Lions, equivalent to the margin of victory in the overall match.
The women were in action again the next day, playing the second half of a double match against the University of Rochester along with the men’s team. The Lions matched the men’s success and topped Rochester, 6-3.
Once again the women fell behind early, losing the first singles match. Their depth picked up four victories in the singles matches to take a 4-2 lead after the singles portion of the match.
The women went on to secure two wins in the doubles round behind victories by Reedman and Stoner at No. 2 doubles and juniors Jasmine Muniz-Cadorette and Emma Allen at No. 1.
“We played two good teams,” Dicheck said. “We felt like we had a good chance of beating them if we played the way we’ve been practicing, and (our girls) came out and just played as well as we had hoped.”
The win improved the women’s record to 7-0 dating back to the fall season. They will be in action again on Friday, April 3, against Swarthmore College at 4 p.m.
