Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College women’s tennis team opened its season with a 7-0 victory over D’Youville College on Saturday afternoon.
The Dolphins opened the match by sweeping the doubles competition, winning all three matches in convincing fashion to open up a lead on the Saints. Senior Birdem Oz (Istanbul, Turkey/Ted Ankara College Foundation HS) and junior Francesca Lilliegren (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Colegio Alemán Humboldt Guayaquil) defeated D’Youville’s Yuliia Kashtelian and Taylor Nash by a score of 6-2. First Year Isabella Barona (Manta, Ecuador/Talentos De Manta) and senior Brooke Fernandez (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) beat Alisson Meissner and Taylor-Anne Austin 6-0, while the combination of sophomore Fiona Pepper (Challapampa, Peru/Colegio Anglo Americano Prescott) and senior Brianna Laureti (Oneida, N.Y./Oneida) took down Katelyn Hoover and Katrina Whipple, 6-0, to complete the sweep.
The Dolphins continued their impressive showing during their singles matches. Laureti defeated Whipple in the sixth position by a score of 6-1, 6-0. Fernandez did not drop a set in the fifth spot, taking down Austin 6-0, 6-0. Barona played with a veteran’s poise in her first dual match, blanking Meissner 6-0, 6-0 in the fourth singles spot. Hoover picked up D’Youville’s first win in the third singles spot, claiming victory by default over Lilliegren. Pepper dominated her singles match against Nash, winning by a score of 6-0, 6-0. In the first singles spot, Oz was able to defeat Kashtelian 6-2, 6-2.
Head coach Jeff Lonczak ’03 was happy with his team’s performance in their first dual match of the season, “It’s always great to get off to a good start in your first match. Big ups to Isabella Barona on her first college wins. I’m sure she’ll get many more. We’re excited to get on the road and compete in the Northeast-10 next week.”
The Dolphins will travel to Vermont to take on Saint Michael’s College on Tuesday, September 14 for their first conference matchup of the season.