The Geneseo women's tennis team won their first two games in conference play last weekend, routing both SUNY Oswego and Fredonia 9-0.
The Lady Knights opened up SUNYAC play at home last Friday, easily defeating Oswego. The top six players each won their singles matches in straight sets, including senior Anna Lehet who won third singles 6-0, 6-0.
Sophomore Monica Vieth also starred, winning first singles 6-2 and 6-3 and teaming with sophomore Lauren Johnson in first doubles with an 8-2 victory. Geneseo went 15-0 on the day, winning all 10 singles and five doubles matches.
Geneseo continued their dominance again on Saturday on the road at Fredonia, winning 9-0 for the second straight day. Sophomore Melissa Baker led the way for Geneseo winning second singles in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 and teaming with Lehet in third doubles winning 8-0. Freshman Sarah Shields won fifth singles 6-1, 6-1 and won second doubles with sophomore Katie Gayvert 8-3.
Again, the Lady Knights did not lose a single set and went 18-0 in all singles and doubles matches. Head coach Jim Chen said that winning all 33 matches in the weekend "speaks to the depth of the team. Everyone is playing very well."
Chen added that the team chemistry is a huge factor in the team's success. "They really support each other, know that each point counts, they're equally weighted," Chen said. "… the players are a close knit group; they have gelled together so quickly. It's a wonderful characteristic. They expect people to flourish, to do well."
Chen said he has high expectations for the team this season and said that the current players have good experience from last year, when the Lady Knights made it to NCAA Tournament and played against some Division I and Division II teams. He said that the team "doesn't want to make strategic errors" and they have "some stroke and strategies to work on."
Chen said he hopes that the team's hard work will bring success at the end of the year. The Lady Knights have a big weekend coming up with four matches in three days, all against SUNYAC opponents.
The women travel to Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 11 to take on Plattsburgh, and to Binghamton on Saturday to take on New Paltz during the day and Cortland at night, before closing out the weekend against Oneonta on Sunday.