Women’s tennis has gotten off to a slow start this year, losing its first two matches this past weekend. The Red (0-2) faced off against Boston University (1-1) on Saturday, falling 5-2. The team then had a quick turn around, hosting the New Jersey Institute of Technology (1-1) in a tight 4-3 loss.
Cornell kicked off its 2023 campaign at home, taking on the Terriers at the Reis Tennis Center. The Red faced BU on the road last season, coming away with a 5-2 victory. This year, the Terriers got a revenge win.
Playing in the first singles position, sophomore Lan Mi got the Red off to a strong start with a convincing victory in straight sets. Cornell’s top doubles team also had success, as junior Lauren Stein and sophomore Alexandra Savu won a decisive 6-1 set.
The same could not be said for the remaining matches, as the Terriers took the final two doubles matches to win the doubles point. BU also bested the Red 4-2 in singles matches, with senior Fatima El Ashram getting Cornell’s second singles win. Despite promising performances, the Red was unable to keep up with the Terriers, falling 5-2.
Looking to bounce back the following day, Cornell hosted the Highlanders. The Red came out of the gate hot, as Mi and freshman Emma Baker won their matches. The team’s doubles squads stepped up as well, with the tandems of Stein/Savu and freshmen Tanya Fan/Sofia Iantosca securing a point.
With a 3-0 lead, the Red needed just one more point to win its first match. However, the Highlanders stormed back, winning the final four singles matches to steal the contest, 4-3.
Though the end results were not what the Red was looking for, the team looks to build on strong showings from Mi, Stein and Savu. With several three set losses throughout the weekend, this team has the potential to turn its season around.
Cornell faces a tall task this coming weekend when it goes on the road to take on Syracuse on Friday at 3 p.m., before returning home Saturday to face the University of Delaware at 10 a.m.