It was a challenging past week for Villanova women’s and men’s tennis teams as they suffered tough losses. The women (2-3-1) had back-to-back losses against Drexel and Howard. Meanwhile, the men’s team (0-5) put up a strong fight against Rider but lost, 4-3.
In a competitive match last Thursday afternoon, the women’s tennis team lost a tough match, 4-1, to Drexel. The Wildcats lost both of their doubles matches before falling short in singles competition.
Villanova graduate student Sophia Edwards and sophomore Lauren Monti were edged out by Drexel, 6-4. Junior Maggie Gehrig and freshman Olivia Corcoran fell in their doubles match, 6-1. Drexel took that momentum from doubles play into singles play.
In singles, Gehrig was outplayed by Drexel’s Sofiya Snitko, 6-3. The Dragons won the overall competition when Anastasia Kavounov defeated Corcoran 6-2, 6-4. Edwards, despite her best efforts, lost to Elisa Rigazio in three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
“With Drexel, we were right there,” head coach Steve Reiniger said. “Even though the score didn’t look [like it], it was a very close match.”
The Wildcats lost, 4-2, against Howard on Friday, demonstrating their ongoing struggles. Using solid doubles play and consistent singles efforts, the Bison defeated Villanova to earn their first victory of the year.
In doubles play, Howard won two of its three doubles matches, establishing control early on. At the No.1 spot, Howard’s Nadia Pegram and Imani Jean defeated duo Sophia Edwards and Lauren Monti, 6-1. Villanova’s Gehrig and Corcoran’s loss to Jordan Grayson and Ava Chambers, 7-5, clinched the Bison’s doubles points. But Villanova secured its first win of the day with sophomore duo Maddie Hills and Jenna Stevens defeating Lauren Oliver and Sifa Butcher, 6-4.
In singles, the Wildcats were able to secure two wins. Corcoran went head-to-head and defeated Jean, 7-6, 6-4, in a closely contested match. Stevens fought hard to close out the match with a 7-6, 10-2, 6-2 victory.
But Howard’s momentum from doubles was too strong and secured the victory over Villanova.
“Even though we lost, I think we took away a lot of good things [such as] team spirit and not getting too down about losses and using them to do better next time,” Monti said.
On the men’s side, Villanova dropped a 4-3 decision to Rider at home on Saturday, Feb. 15.
With two victories to earn the match’s opening point, Villanova’s doubles teams established the tone early on.
Villanova’s sophomore duo Thomas Wakefield and Kush Anand defeated Roger Martinez and Nathan Slattery 6-0, while junior Cooper Gordon and senior Trey Fourticq defeated Dhruv Tangri and Giacomo Ghitti 6-3. However, in the top doubles match, sophomores Will Monahan and Justin Frattarelli of Villanova lost to Rider’s Cole Thurgur and Matteus Dahlin, 6-4.
On the men’s singles side, with an outstanding effort, Monahan easily defeated Matt Griscti, 6-1, 6-1. Anand also picked up a straight-set victory, 6-1, 6-1, defeating Martinez.
But in response, Rider’s victories from Dahlin, Thurgur and Slattery paved the way for a deciding final match.
Axel Engstrom of Rider battled back from a set loss to defeat Villanova freshman Quincy Jones, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, sealing the victory for the Broncos.
“[The team] played very well,” head coach Brad Adams said. “I know it was a loss, but they competed extremely well and unfortunately came up a little bit short.”
The teams now look to rebound, as the women take on St. John’s University on Friday, Feb. 21, and Army on Saturday, Feb. 22.
The men will take on Bucknell University on Saturday, Feb. 22 and Wagner College on Sunday, Feb. 23.
