Villanova men’s tennis went undefeated in its three matches this weekend, facing Marquette (4–3), Coppin State (7–0) and Lafayette (4–0).
The women’s team lost a close match against the University of Connecticut on Sunday, April 7, after the previous two scheduled matches against Johns Hopkins and Drexel were cancelled.
On Friday, April 5, the men opened their home series against Marquette.
The match began smoothly for the Wildcats, as they won their first two doubles matches, securing the doubles points.
As singles resumed, the Golden Eagles quickly leveled the score, winning three of the first four singles matches, which made the score 3–2.
The Big East face-off would come down to the last two matches, as senior Ryan Nguyen won his match and secured the tying point, with sets that scored 6–4, 6–1. The outcome of the match was determined by freshman Justin Frattarelli, whose singles match went to a tiebreaker in the second set. Frattarelli won the third and final set, giving the Wildcats a victory.
The second home match of the weekend was a wash as Villanova won all seven matches against Coppin State.
The final home match of the weekend took place on Sunday, April 7 against Lafayette. In doubles, the freshman duo of Will Monahan and Frattarelli dropped the first match with a score of 6–3, 5–2. Villanova rebounded with a win from senior Josh Robinson and sophomore Cooper Gordon before winning its final doubles match, played by seniors Eitan Khromchenko and Noah Winton.
In singles, Gordon defeated Lafayette’s Derrin Lerner 6–4, 6–0 and Nguyen defeated Lafayette’s William Woolley 6-0, 6-1. Frattarelli would secure the game clinching point yet again in his match against Lafayette’s Sam Gelber, 6–1, 6–2.
The men’s team concludes its regular season with Big East matches at St. Joseph’s on Wednesday, April 10 and at Georgetown on Saturday, April 13, before traveling to play George Mason on Sunday, April 14.
On Sunday, April 7, the women’s team hosted the UConn, losing a close match 3-4.
In doubles, graduate Ami Grace Dougah and freshman Miriam Gondorova lost in the one spot, as were sophomores Emi Callahan and Maggie Gehrig. The third and final match of doubles, played by freshman Jenna Stevens and senior Bella Steffen did not finish, and UConn gained the doubles points.
Dougah opened singles in the one spot and defeated UConn’s Wright in three sets, winning the first and final match with a score of 6-4. Gehrig dropped her match, losing 6-2, 6-1 against UConnn’s Constantinou. Gondorova defeated UConn’s Petri Bere in the third spot to keep the match from getting out of hand for the Wildcats. In the fourth spot, Stevens won, defeating UConn’s Hinshaw. Freshman Lauren Monti lost in sets 6–1, 6– 1 to UConn’s Didion, and in the closing spot, junior Valieriia Kornieva fell to UConn’s Asenov.
“I think a little break in our schedule with our two cancelations helped us compete healthy,” women’s head coach Steve Reiniger said. “We lost four-three and it really came down to the doubles. I had a feeling that whoever would win the doubles point would win the match. The two teams are that close.”
Reiniger added Villanova’s lineup against UConn was its strongest.
“We are going to be missing one of our best players going into next week’s matches,” Reiniger said. “Georgetown is going to be a tough match but if we can beat Seton Hall and St. John’s, then we can wrap up the fifth seed in the Big East tournament and avoid a play-in situation.”
In the Big East Tournament, six and lower seeds have to play an additional match to advance.
The women’s team hosts Seton Hall on Tuesday, April 9 and travels to Georgetown on Friday, April 12, before concluding their regular season with a home match against St. Johns on Sunday, April 14.
