Taking positive momentum into the postseason is a goal that was heavily sought after for the UConn women’s tennis team. The Huskies lost three matches in a row before their regular season finale in Kingston against the University of Rhode Island, looking to get back on the winning track before the postseason gets underway.
On Saturday, it was more of the same for the dynamic duo Julianne Bou and Leonie Hoppe, as the senior and sophomore team won their third doubles match in a row, defeating URI’s Tiara Higuchi and Klara Nelander 6-2 in doubles No. 1. With the win, Bou and Hoppe concluded their regular season doubles season at 15-12 overall. Rhode Island came with answers in the next doubles matches, as Erin Chratian and Sydney Chratian handed Aleksandra Karamyshev and Isabel Petri Bere their second doubles loss in a row, winning doubles No. 2 6-3. Caroline Cook and Denise Lai could not snag the doubles point for the Huskies, falling to Nadia Rajan and Paulina Loredo 4-6 in doubles No. 3. Karamyshev and Petri Bere finished the regular season 15-15, with Cook and Lai reaching a mark of 7-11 on the season as a duo.
The singles matches were controlled by UConn all afternoon: Bou took down Rajan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 in singles No. 1 to finish her senior season at 16-12 overall. Karamyshev was locked in a hard-fought match with Erin Chratian in singles No. 2, eventually pulling out the win 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, finishing the regular season at 18-16. Hoppe kept the momentum up with her 18th win of the season, earning a straight set victory in singles No. 3 6-4, 6-4 over Higuchi. Petri Bere ended her regular season at 16-14 overall, culminating in a straight set victory in singles No. 5 against Nelander, 6-4, 7-5. Doga Selen Takunyaci notched her second singles victory on the season in No. 6, beating Sydney Chratian 6-0, 6-3. The only Rhode Island victory came in singles No. 4, as Loredo notched a win against Cook in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
The Huskies finished the regular season at 9-11 overall, and 2-3 in conference play. UConn went 5-5 at home, 4-5 on the road and 0-1 in neutral site settings. Following the conclusion of regular season play, the Huskies will travel to Cayce, S.C., to compete in the Big East Tournament that begins on April 21 and concludes on April 24.