By Rohan Ahluwalia
Staff Writer
Following two wins last week, the women’s tennis team earned their seventh straight victory when the Lions defeated Wilkes University, 9-0, at the Student Recreation Center on Thursday, March 29.
The match started with the doubles competition where junior Grace Minassian and senior Maddy Stoner kicked things off for the Lions with a 8-4 victory. Meanwhile, juniors Alyssa Baldi and Sneha Rangu continued their undefeated partnership, winning 8-2. Sophomore Audrey Chen and freshman Andrea Giacobbo won, 8-1, against Wilkes to finish the doubles sweep.
The Lions continued dominating in the singles competition. Rangu began by taking a straight set victory in 6-0 and 6-3 sets. Minassian then won her match in straight sets before Stoner won with 6-2 and 6-0 sets.
Baldi, Chen and senior Brittany Reedman rounded out the victories for the Lions with all three also earning straight set victories.
With the victory, the women remain undefeated with an 8-0 record while also improving to 68-4 in all singles and doubles matches dating back from the fall season.
While the women only had one game, the men’s team played two games, losing 6-3 at Haverford College on Wednesday, March 28 before defeating Wilkes University, 7-2, on Thursday, March 29 at the Recreation Center.
In doubles competition, the men lost two of three matches before going on to lose four matches in singles.
Juniors Omar Bokhari and Tim Gavornik managed to earn the Lions’ only doubles victory over Haverford sophomore Raja Arul and junior Nick Sweeney by a close score of 8-7.
Gavornik was also one of the two Lions players to earn a victory in singles, winning in three sets. Sophomore Thomas Wright was the other singles winner for the College against Haverford, winning in straight sets.
On Thursday, March 29, the men returned home, where they hosted Wilkes. At the doubles competition, the Lions won two of their three matches before winning five of six matches in singles.
Bokhari and Gavornik won another doubles match when they defeated Wilkes’ senior Andrew Neidig and freshman Larry Scartz, 8-4. Junior Matt Puig and Wright also proved to be a successful duo, winning 8-4 over Wilkes senior Artyom Nabokin and junior Braddock Chow.
Gavornik then won his fourth match of the week when he defeated Neidig in straight sets during singles. Puig also won his singles matchup, defeating Nabokin in straight sets as well. Wright then won his match in three sets before junior Mitchel Sanders won in three sets over Wilkes. Finally, junior Achyuth Balijepalle wrapped things up for the Lions, earning the final victory against Wilkes.
Following the two matches this week, the men move to four victories and two defeats on the season.
Both the men’s and women’s teams have two scheduled matches this week.
The women will remain at home as they take on SUNY Geneseo on Friday, April 6, at 4 p.m. before taking on Ithaca College on Saturday, April 7.
The men will go on the road to play against Muhlenberg College on Friday, April 6, before returning home to take on Ithaca College, on Saturday, April 7 at 11 a.m.
