The Binghamton University women’s tennis team clashed with Cornell University and Bucknell University this past weekend as it attempted to match last weekend’s success. With a dominating win against Bucknell and a disappointing loss against Cornell, the Bearcats (2-2) have begun to display inconsistencies on the courts.
When asked about their first two matches this season, Binghamton head coach Libby McGovern said Bearcats “gave [Syracuse] a good fight” in Binghamton’s 4-3 loss and “stayed focused and got the job done” in the 7-0 win over Seton Hall. The loss to Cornell was by a score of 6-1, a much more convincing loss than the one previously suffered against Syracuse.
The Big Red are on a three-game winning streak, and former coach Mike Stevens got a victory over a team he called his own just a year ago. Seniors Anna Edelman and Yulia Smirnova managed the only win, topping Shannon and Kelly Comolli 8-3 at first doubles. Cornell was able to secure the doubles point with wins at both second and third doubles, with Christine Ordway and Ryann Young defeating juniors Jillian Santos and Marina Bykovskaya 8-1, and Elizabeth Dumitrescu and Sinziana Chis besting senior Lauren Bates and junior Emma Leibowicz 8-4.
In the singles realm, the Bearcats similarly struggled, dropping five of the six matches. Leibowicz managed the only victory over Shannon Comolli at sixth singles, winning a tight match 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 10-3. Bykovskaya lost at fifth singles in an equally close manner to Dumitrescu 6-4, 6-7 (7-2), 10-5. At first singles, Edelman fell to Ordway in straight sets 6-4, 6-1, and Young defeated Santos 6-2, 6-1 at second singles. At third singles, Bates was bested by Sinziana Chis after getting out to a fast start, 2-6, 6-4, 11-9. Finally, at fourth singles, Smirnova was defeated by Kelly Comolli 6-4, 6-2. McGovern explained that a “team-induced bad day” was to blame for the relative funk, and the week prior to the match was “emotional and stressful.” They “stopped doing the little things right, and they determine the match.” However, this slip-up was short-lived. For the second Sunday in a row, the Bearcats shut out their opponent.
Bucknell was the victim this week, with all six Bearcats posting a win over the Bison, akin to the victory over Seton Hall. The lineup underwent several changes after the Cornell match. Each Bearcat competed with a different partner in the doubles portion of the dual. Freshman Jennifer Fridman made the starting lineup at sixth singles and third doubles, paired with Santos. Bykovskaya was moved up to first doubles alongside Edelman, resulting in the last pairing at second doubles of Leibowicz and Smirnova. McGovern was proud of the team’s performance following the dismal loss, noting that they “bounced right back and had a lot of fun,” and it seemed like the Bearcats were firing on all cylinders. The coupling of Edelman and Bykovskaya produced a victory at first doubles over Lauren Lucido and Daria Tuzhikova 8-1, while Leibowicz and Smirnova toppled Dara Dwojewski and Dumitria Iepuras by a score of 8-3. Rounding out the doubles portion of the match, Santos and Fridman defeated Lauren Rottkamp and Elizabeth Morgan 8-5. In singles play, every Bearcat was a winner in straight sets, starting with Edelman in the first slot, beating Lauren Lucido 6-2, 6-4. Santos defeated Iepuras 6-3, 7-5, making her 14-5 on the year in singles play. Smirnova got the best of Rottkamp 6-0, 6-3, while Bykovskaya defeated Daria Tuzhikova 6-0, 6-1. In the last two matches to finish, Leibowicz topped Dwojewski 6-2, 6-2, and Fridman beat Morgan 6-1, 6-0.
The Bearcats look to keep the momentum going in their next dual match set to take place at 9 p.m. on Sunday at Temple.