The UConn women’s tennis team swept both of their matchups this week with a 6-1 victory over Fairfield University on Wednesday and a 6-1 victory over Merrimack on Saturday, improving their record to 2-1 on the season.
In Wednesday’s matchup against Fairfield, the Huskies got off to a slow start in doubles play, as the first and second doubles pairings each fell 6-4. The third doubles pair of Caroline Cook and Doga Selen Takunyaci would battle in a tiebreaker but would fall short 7-6.
Momentum would start to swing in singles play, as freshman Cameron Didion got the Huskies on the board with an impressive 6-0, 6-0 victory. Isabel Petri Bere, Aleksandra Karamyshev and Olivia Wright would capture victories as well for Connecticut, pushing its lead over Fairfield to 4-1. Maria Constantinou and Cook both endured long rallies, walking away victorious to help the Huskies pull away from Fairfield 6-1.
On Saturday, the Huskies took care of business against the Warriors of Merrimack College, rolling to a 6-1 victory at the Magic Lincer Tennis Club in Manchester. The Huskies got off to a hot start behind sensational doubles play from their first and second pairs. The tandem of Petri Bere and Karamyshev cruised to a 6-0 victory, while Wright and Constantinou closed out doubles play winning 6-4.
The intensity from the doubles play would carry over to singles play for the Huskies, as the third and fourth singles would tack on an additional two points. Karamyshev got the score to 5-1 in the first set of the third singles, retiring Nikala Tuffanelli of Merrimack. Petri Bere rolled to a clean 6-0, 6-0 victory at the fourth singles match.
Leading 3-0, the scoring would only continue for the Huskies as Didion would make it 4-0 behind a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Two more singles points would be added behind victories from Constantinou and Cook.
Head Coach and Director of Tennis Glenn Marshall was asked about his thoughts on his team’s performance from over the weekend.
“I am pleased with our doubles play today,” Marshall said. “We had nice wins at No. 1 and No. 2 to secure the doubles point. That carried over into the singles matches, where we got off to great starts on all courts. Isabel really led the way today in singles and doubles with great effort and results.”
Up next for the Huskies is a matchup in West Point, NY with the Army Black Knights on Feb. 11, 2023.
