The men’s and women’s tennis teams competed in the Bucknell Invitational this past weekend, facing up against Bucknell University, Saint Francis University, Millersville University and Mount St. Mary’s University, seeing mixed results over the two days.
The men got off to a slow start on Saturday, winning only five of 14 singles matches and just one of four doubles matches. The team picked it up on Sunday, as the men went 2-3 in singles and 4-2 in doubles matches.
Junior Nick McKenzie and senior Arman Ganchi accounted for three of the Leopards’ doubles wins, defeating Mount St. Mary 6-3, Bucknell 6-1 and Saint Francis University 6-2.
“I think in the fall, things are definitely more full-on and serious,” McKenzie said. “Getting up pretty early in the morning and just trying to play as many matches as possible to get ready for the spring season, which is what counts towards our record.”
The freshman doubles duo of Tyler Mahaffey and Owen Studdiford lost a Saturday match against Bucknell 6-4 but rebounded with a pair of wins on Sunday, beating Francis 7-5 and Millersville 7-5. Studdiford also won a pair of doubles between Saturday and Sunday.
“I thought I played great over the weekend,” Studdiford said. “Also in doubles, coming back against Millersville when we had a three-zero lead, but they ended up coming back and tying it, but we stayed composed and then me and my partner, Tyler, pulled it out in the end.”
Following the season’s opener to so-so results at the Bloomsburg Invitational, the men’s team rallied behind each other to close out the weekend on a high note.
“I think our coaches have really emphasized energy,” Studdiford said. “That’s cheering each other on, being positive on the court and I think that this week, even as opposed to last week, it was a lot better energy supporting each other and lifting each other up.”
On the women’s side, the Leopards opened up their season by racking up wins on Saturday, going 6-4 in singles and 5-4 in doubles. Sunday saw considerably less success, as the women went 2-15 in singles matches and 0-5 in doubles matches.
Sophomore Hanna Ganchi won two of her three singles matches and two of her three doubles matches alongside junior Carmen Merkel, with a 6-0 sweep against Millersville and a 6-2 win against Patriot League rival Bucknell.
“I love playing with Carmen,” Ganchi said. “I feel like we always have so much fun, but being able to beat a Patriot League team that’s usually ranked above us was really fun. I feel like it really boosted me and Carmen’s confidence which was great.”
Another bright spot for the women was freshman Marie-Sofia Romaniello, the lone first-year on the women’s side who tallied her first collegiate wins.
“I’d say the highlight was just getting my first college win in both singles and doubles,” Romaniello said, having won 6-1 against Millersville and 6-2 in a doubles match against Saint Francis alongside junior Layla Drotar. “I had a great doubles partner and it was great having the team cheering you on.”
Men’s tennis will play this Wednesday against Monmouth University, while the women’s team will return to action in the Loyola University Maryland Invitational from Oct. 4-6.