Tennis adds to undefeated season

By Christine Houghton
Sports Editor

Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams had excellent weekends playing in the Lions’ Fall Tournament with New York University and Franklin and Marshall College. The women started out the week on Sept. 4 with a 9-0 sweep against Stockton University. 

Players on the women’s team, now 3-0 overall in the season, achieved notable wins, specifically the doubles team — freshmen Jenny Landells and Alexandria Vasile won their doubles match 8-1.

Rounding out the doubles play, sophomore Katrine Luddy and freshman Anusha Rangu also shut out their opponents in an 8-0 win. 

The team also swept all doubles matches, with freshman Charlotte Roarty, Vasile and Luddy winning. Sophomores Julia Yoon and Navya Yemula finished out the game and sealed the Lions’ shutout.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday Sept. 8, the men’s and women’s tennis teams performed well in their home match.

During the first day of play in singles, the men won half of their matches as they went head-to-head with NYU. Sophomore Matthew Michibata won in three sets, 6-2, 6-7 and 10-8, while freshman Akul Telluri found victory after two sets, winning 7-6 and 6-4.

Junior Andrew Mok and sophomore Oliver Rodriguez rounded out the singles play tie, as Mok won in three sets 4-6, 6-3 and 11-9, while Rodriguez took his match in two sets, both 6-1.

In doubles, the Lions swept all four matches on the day. Seniors Gokul Murugesan and Thomas Wright all but swept their match 8-2, and freshman Nick Matkiwsky and Michibata closed out their match 8-5.

Telluri and partner sophomore Justin Wain snuck by NYU by a score of 8-6, while sophomore Nikola Kilibarda partnered with junior Sean Reilly to outscore their opponents 8-2 to close out the day’s gameplay.

The next day, the men’s team won seven out of the 17 singles matches, with notable wins coming from Telluri, Mok and Michibata, who all won both of their singles matches. 

Rodriguez was able to win in two sets — 6-1 for both — and Mok won his second match in only one set, 8-6.

The team was back for doubles as the College won seven out of the eight doubles matches to round out the tournament. Wright and Murugesan paired up for yet another 8-2 win to start off the matches, quickly followed by Matkiwsky and Michibata, who squeaked past their opponents 8-5 in two separate sets.

Telluri and Wain would take two doubles sets during the second day, winning 8-6 and 8-4. Kilibarda and Reilly topped their opponents 8-2 mid-match and closed out the tournament for the men with an 8-4 victory.

For the women, the two-day tournament was a day of learning for the undefeated Lions. Playing in only 10 singles matches, the team only won four during the entire tournament. 

Ariella Shlugleyt won the team’s first singles match, defeating her opponent in one set 8-1. 

Roarty made her presence known, winning in two sets 7-5 and 6-4, followed by Yoon, who also won in two sets 6-1 and 6-2. 

Yemula closed out the women’s singles play with an 8-7 victory over an NYU opponent.

In doubles play, the women took on opponents from both NYU and Franklin and Marshall, winning seven out of the 15 matches they played in. 

Sophomores Amy Yan and Ally Yan paired up in three matches, two against NYU, which they won 8-2 and 8-6. They also won against Franklin and Marshall, whom they defeated 8-5. 

Vasile and Roarty topped Franklin and Marshall 8-4 and were followed by Yemula and Landells, who paired up to defeat their opponent 8-2. 

Also on Saturday, Sept. 7, the women’s team faced Kean University, which resulted in another New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent shutout in favor of the Lions. The team is now 4-0 overall and undefeated in the division. 

The men’s tennis team returns to the court to host the Duck/Lions Tournament from Saturday, Sept. 14 until Sunday, Sept. 15. The women’s team will host Ramapo College on Saturday, Sept. 14.