Villanova’s men’s tennis team went 1-2 in a busy weekend that saw matches played against Delaware (0-4), Wagner College (7-0) and Navy (2-5).
The women’s team recorded a win at Howard.
On Friday, Feb. 16, the men opened a double header with a road trip to play against the University of Delaware.
In doubles play, senior Josh Robinson and freshman Thomas Wakefield played in the one spot and fell, 6-2, against the Delaware duo of Karol Malirz and Javier Ruiz. Freshman Will Monahan and Junior Lukas Choi were defeated, 6-3, while sophomore Cooper Gordon and senior Eitan Khromchenko competed in the final doubles match, securing a 6-2 win over Delaware’s Gluck and Waterbolk.
In singles, Monahan fell, 6-1, 6-2, and senior Ryan Nguyen fell with a similar score of 6-2, 6-3. Gordon would fall in straight sets, both with a score of 6-1. Three matches ended in a draw due to an inability to finish the matches, with Robinson, Wakefield and Khromchenko slotted to play in the canceled matches
After the team’s noon match against Delaware, the men returned to the Bryn Mawr Racquet Club to play against Wagner College on the same day. This match would prove to be much more favorable for the Wildcats, as the men would sweep Wagner, 7-0.
In doubles, Robinson and Wakefield would team up yet again to beat Wagner’s Tonnicchi and Perez, with a score of 6-2. Monahan and Choi would lose, 6-4, in the two spot, while Gordan and Khromchenko would secure the second doubles victory for Villanova with a 6-4 win.
In singles, Robinson would play in the one spot and win in a tiebreaker, 6-3, 2-6, 10-6. Nguyen would fight back after losing his first set for a tiebreaking win against Wagner’s Perez (5-7, 6-1, 10-5). Monahan would win in the third spot, shutting out his opponent, 6-0 and 6-1, followed by Khromchenko who would secure a singles victory following his two doubles wins. In the final spot, Choi beat Wagner’s Darling, 8-0.
The men’s team followed up its double-header by traveling to Annapolis, Maryland, to play Navy, where it would lose, 2-5.
In doubles, Robinson and Wakefield would fall, 6-2, against Navy’s Legaspi and Nguyen. Monahan and Choi would lose a close match, 6-4, to Ayinala and Etterbeek, and Gordan and Kromchenko would fall, 6-3.
Robinson would play in the one spot to open up singles and would beat Navy’s Legaspi with a 6-2, 6-3 score. Nguyen would get closed out, 6-0, by Etterbeek and Monahan would fall short of a win, pushing the match to the third round (7-6, 7-5, 6-2). Khromchenko would end up continuing his great weekend play with a tie breaking victory, and Choi would finish the series with a 6-2, 6-1 loss to Nguyen.
The men’s team will continue play next weekend with a home match against Franklin and Marshall College, on Feb. 23.
On Saturday, Feb. 17, the women’s tennis team traveled to Washington, D.C. to play Howard, Villanova won, 4-2.
In doubles, graduate students Amanda Rivera Gonzalez and Ami Grace Dougah competed in the opening spot and won, 6-3, over Howard’s Nadia Pegram and Imani Jean. Senior Bella Steffen and freshman Jenna Stevens won a back-and-forth battle, 6-4, while sophomores Maggie Gehrig and Emi Callahan’s match ended in a draw, due to it being unable to finish.
In singles, Dougah won over Howard’s Butcher, and Gehrig won in the two spot over Stibbins (7-5). Junior Valieriia Kornieva would fall in a tiebreak, and Callahan would fall in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). Stevens would win, 6-3,6-4 over Hall and freshman Lauren Monti’s match would end in a draw, due to the match being unable to finish.
“When a match is recorded as unable to finish, it is usually because of a time restriction or other instance,” head coach Steve Reiniger said. “For example, [Monti’s] match was the last singles match, and the result of the match was inconsequential to the final outcome of the match against Howard. Howard could have won that match, and the result would have been 4-3, we still would have won. Both coaches agreed to pull the match. When coaches do this, it’s called clinching, and it usually happens during the winter season when there is a time constraint.
“We have found some solid combinations so far in the season, but we are always looking to improve,” Reiniger said when asked about recent success and future lineup experimentation. “We believe we’ve found some other answers in doubles, and have noticed other plays stepping up when needed.”
The women’s team hopes to build off this victory and will travel to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 24 to play Bucknell.
