PHOEBE LANGDON
Special to The Leader
With only two matches left in their regular season, the Fredonia Women’s Tennis team looks to build on what looks to be their winningest season in years.
After Geneseo snapped their three-game winning streak, the Blue Devils answered with another three straight victories starting with a 9-0 blanking of Thiel College. Starting at first doubles for the first time this season, the tandem of seniors Halee Dickinson and Chloe Cohen defeated their opponents 8-5.
At second doubles freshman Anna Chiacchia and sophomore Adriana Speach put away their challengers with an 8-2 victory.
Senior Stephanie Ashodian and sophomore Mallory Mecca paired together for the first time and managed an 8-5 victory. This was Ashodian’s first match of the season and Mecca’s first collegiate match. Mecca is also a member of the softball team.
Moving up to first singles, Cohen posted a 7-6, 6-2 victory. Chiacchia, at second singles, added to her winning recorded with a 6-3, 6-0 showing.
Dickinson won the first set at third singles, 6-0, before her opponent retired.
At fourth singles, Speech was down in her first set and fought back to win a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-4), then took the second set, 6-1. Leanne Hofstead took fifth singles, 6-2, 6-1.
At sixth singles, sophomore Avril King earned her first collegiate victory, sweeping her opponent 6-0, 6-0.
The following match was a D’Youville rematch under the lights of the Steele Hall courts on Friday night. In honor of the team’s first Athletes Supporting Athletes match the lineup was unique in that it showcased all of the team’s talent.
Starting at first doubles for the first time this season, the duo of senior Phoebe Langdon and sophomore Christine Thomas fell 8-6 despite several back and forth battles for the lead.
The second and third doubles teams, regardless of their lack of prior experience as pairs, posted winning scores. Hofstead and Mecca downed their challengers with an 8-4 victory at two. At third Ashodian and King put away their opponents 8-1.
The singles matches were dominated by Fredonia. Starting in her first match since coming back from a hamstring injury, sophomore Olivia Miller shut down her first singles challenger 6-0, 6-0.
At second singles, Cohen posted an impressive 6-1, 6-0 victory. At third singles, Chiacchia improved her personal singles record to 7-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory.
Dickinson blew past her opponent 6-1, 6-0 at fourth singles. Fifth singles featured Karnisky who won 6-0, 6-0. Speach at sixth singles finished her match with a 6-0, 6-2 score that contributed to the team’s overall 8-1 victory.
The following morning, the Blue Devils took the courts for their last league match of the season. After defeating Oswego 7-2, Fredonia clinched the second place rank, only behind Geneseo.
In their longest played match of the season, they started the day with doubles wins at one and two. At first doubles, Miller and Chiacchia came out on top 9-7. At second, Dickinson and Cohen blanked their challengers 8-0.
At first singles, Miller handled her opponent, 6-1, 6-3. After losing her first set 4-6, Cohen fought to win the second set 7-5 and the tiebreaker for the third set 10-6 to claim second singles.
At third singles, Chiacchia silenced her opponent 6-0, 6-0. Dickinson at fourth lost the first set 3-6, and rallied back to win the second set in a tie breaker 7-6. Despite the momentum, Dickinson lost the tiebreaker for the third set in a back and forth battle for the lead that ended in a 11-9 defeat.
In the fifth singles slot Karnisky posted a 6-1, 6-2 score. At sixth, Speach fought back from a 1-4 deficit in the first set, taking the set 7-6. In the second set, Speach came out on top, with a 6-4 showing.
As the Blue Devils prepare for their final two matches, Coach Greg Catalano said, “As long as the team continues working the way they have been all season, these last few matches should be promising.”
Fredonia plays again on Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. at home against Pitt Bradford.
Phoebe Langdon is a member of the Fredonia women’s tennis team.