The women’s tennis team started up its spring season with four consecutive wins in Orlando, Fla., during the March break, extending its record to 8-0 for the first time in program history.
“Although the competition in Florida was not particularly difficult, all of our players got the chance to play and everyone ended up playing really well,” said Sarah Miller ’12 after the trip.
The Cards kicked things off in Florida with a match against Webber International University. Leading the team at the number one singles spot, Anika Fischer ’10 suffered a tough 3-6, 3-6 loss, but the No. 2 player, Miller, was able to turn things around as she won her match by a 5-0 default. At No. 3 singles, Genevieve Aniello ’13 also won her match 6-1, 6-1. Playing at No. 4, Meredith Holmes ’10 came away with a 6-2, 6-1 victory, while both the No. 5 and 6 players, Taylor Morales ’13 (6-0, 6-2) and Casey Simchik ’10 (6-0, 6-0), closed out the singles rounds with another two wins.
In the doubles rounds, the Cards dominated all three matches. The number one duo of Fischer and Miller took down their opponents 8-2, while the No. 2 pair, Holmes and Hannah Berkman ’12, had another big 8-1 win. The number three pairing, Simchik and Aniello, wrapped up the doubles action with a solid 8-3 victory.
Wesleyan managed to carry over its confidence and poise into the next match as the Cards took on the Malone University Pioneers. At number one singles, Fischer won her match 6-3, 6-1, while Miller also dominated her opponent and came away with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. The winning streak continued on with Aniello (No. 3; 6-1, 6-0), Holmes (No. 4; 6-1, 6-0), Simchik (No. 5; 6-0, 6-1), and Ana Alvarado ’12 (No. 6; 6-0, 6-0).
The victories carried over into the doubles rounds as Fischer and Miller triumphed over their opponents 8-2. The No. 2 tandem of Holmes and Linda McDougal ’11 also finished their match with an 8-2 victory, and the number three duo, Simchik and Aniello, concluded the day with a solid 8-1 win.
Although the Cards were satisfied with their strong performance against Malone, they knew next match against St. Mary’s College of Indiana was not going to be an easy win. Playing at the number one singles spot again, Fischer had a long, hard-fought match, but was unable to come away with a victory and ended the match 4-6, 7-6, 1-6. Miller also failed to come through with a win and finished with a 3-setloss. Aniello held strong at the number three spot and won her match 6-4, 7-5. Number 4 Holmes played well but could not hold on long enough and concluded with a 3-6, 1-6 loss. McDougal (6-3, 6-3) and Simchik (6-3, 6-1) finished off the singles sets with another set of wins.
The battle between The Cards and the Belles continued on into the doubles matches as number one doubles partners, Fischer and Miller came away with strong 8-6 win, but Holmes and McDougal fell short and ended with an 8-6 loss. Fortunately for Wesleyan, the number three doubles partners, Simchik and Aniello, came away with an 8-3 victory to secure the win for the Cards.
The next day, Saginaw Valley State University proved no match for the Cardinals as Wesleyan won easily 7-2, despite resting Fischer, Miller, and Simchik. Taking the place of Fischer at the number one singles spot, Aniello stepped in and played a well-fought match but was ultimately unable to come away with a victory and ended her match 4-6, 4-6. The number 2 singles player, Holmes, also struggled to pull off a win and lost her match 4-6, 3-6. McDougal, playing at number three, turned things around for the Cards as she won her match 6-2, 6-4. Wesleyan continued to dominate as Berkman (No. 4; 6-3, 7-6), Morales (No. 5; 6-0, 6-2), and Alvarado (No. 6; 6-0, 6-2) all won their matches as well.
The Cards secured their victory over Saginaw Valley State with three doubles victories. Playing at number one, Holmes and McDougal defeated their opponents 8-5, while Berkman and Aniello, holding down the number 2 spot, won their match 8-6 and number three doubles partners Morales and Alvarado brought things to a close for the Cards as they finished their match with a final tally of 8-2.
“The three doubles points in all of the matches are always crucial, so I think we definitely improved in the doubles matches during the Florida trip, so we should be ready for our match next against Colby,” Miller said. “We’re really hoping to beat Trinity this year for [the] last spot at NESCACs. Only six teams go, and I think we have a good chance at making it this season.”
The undefeated Cardinals will continue the spring season back in New England beginning with a trip to Colby on Sunday.