This post was written by Hatchet reporter Hassan Haider.
Despite wins at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, the women’s tennis team dropped to 0-2 Saturday afternoon, falling to Navy in a close 4-3 match.
Senior Leah Pascarella, an Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team selection last season, won in her No. 2 singles match, 2-6, 7-5 (10-4), while sophomore Lana Robins was victorious in the No. 1 singles slot, 6-2, 6-0. Ultimately, though, losses in two of the three doubles matches would do in the Colonials, as they couldn’t grab the vital doubles point.
Taylor Nederlander also won at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 7-5, as did the duo of Grace Egger and Robins in the first doubles match, 6-1.
“I think the slower courts hurt us at No. 2 doubles,” head coach Greg Munoz said. “No. 3 we should have won, but an ankle injury from the Maryland match hurt our chances.”
Pascarella echoed her head coach saying, “the courts did not allow me to play the way I normally do. I had to really focus on being consistent in the second set to get the win.”
Despite starting the season with two losses, Munoz believes that the team is not in trouble.
“These were two tough matches and knowing that Richmond lost 5-0 to Maryland and Georgetown lost 4-3 to Navy shows we are not in bad shape,” Munoz said.
Moving forward, he believes the freshman will play a much larger role in strengthening the team, and made it clear that he will not hesitate to make adjustments to the team’s starting lineup.
“There will be some changes in the singles and doubles lines to give us a more competitive team.”
Looking ahead, the next match for the Colonials will be on Feb. 14 when they face Liberty at the Wheaton Indoor Tennis Center in Maryland.
“We have a already made a lot of progress from our first loss against Maryland two weeks ago,” Pascarella said, “so as long as we continue to work hard and in practice and keep our intensity up, we will be in a good place against Liberty.”