The Oswego State women’s tennis season is off to a slow start. The Lakers are approaching their fourth season match with a 1-2 record. Coach Shane Evans’ team hosted SUNY Brockport in the team’s first match of the 2022 season. Falling short in a close match, losing 5-4. The Lakers came out hot with an easy 8-4 doubles win coming from the rackets of freshman Angelina Llanos and junior Alyx Sperling. The second doubles match went in favor of the Golden Eagles as they secured an 8-4 win against Emily Lyga and Jenna Wilson. Oswego State was able to bounce back in third doubles with another 8-4 win coming from Debora Win and Emily Lussier.
The Lakers had a 2-1 lead entering the singles competition, but that lead would not be kept for long as both Llanos and Lyga fell short in their matches. Cara Campanie and Sperling were able to pull out clutch wins to bring the score to 4-4. Sperling went 2-0 on the day, dominating in her doubles match (8-4) and singles match (6-1,6-1). Senior Mattie Wallace fought hard in sixth singles but ultimately lost 6-2, 6-3, giving the Golden Eagles their first win of the season.
The Lakers were able to have a huge bounce-back match as they hosted SUNY Fredonia the next day. Sperling continued her good form and won her doubles match with teammate Llanos 8-6 and her singles match 6-2, 6-2. Wilson and Lyga put on a clinic in their doubles match as they shut out the Blue Devils 8-0. Lyga and Wilson were also able to capture a singles win as Lyga won in three sets 6-0, 0-6, 10-7, and
Wilson won in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. Campanie, Llanos, and Rafaela Dmitrikoponlou were all also to grab wins in their singles.
After their win against SUNY Fredonia, the Lakers were on the road for their third match in three straight days against St. John Fisher College. Fatigue played a role in their match as they lost a close one to the Cardinals 5-4.
Sperling once again found herself on the winning end of the court as she won a doubles match with Llanos 8-3. The duo of Sperling and Llanos are now 3-0 on the season in their doubles matches. The two also were able to find a way to win in their singles match as both went to a tie-breaker set. Sperling has been unstoppable all season and now has a record of 6-0 through the first three matches. Llanos has also been dominating in her first collegiate season with a 5-1 record.
Although Oswego State was able to jump out to an early lead they dropped three straight singles bringing the match to 5-3 in favor of the Cardinals. Dmitri Kopoula was able to slow the bleeding as she won her singles match in straight sets 7-5, 6-4, but that was not enough as St. John Fisher College grabbed the win 5-4. This loss brings Oswego States’ all-time record to 8-17 vs St. John Fisher College.
The Lakers will look ahead to their next match against SUNY New Paltz on Sept. 16 and try to steer the ship in the right direction and grab their second win of the season. Oswego State has not played the Hawks well as they have a record of 1-12 against them and has lost the previous six matches.
This will be their third SUNYAC match of the season and the Lakers will need a big win to be able to compete in conference play. SUNY New Paltz is entering the match 1-0 coming off a big 8-1 win vs SUNY Oneonta. Sperling and Llanos will look to continue their dominance when they share the court.
