The women's tennis team swept singles and doubles against SUNY Oswego on Sept. 9, improving their record to 2-0.
Five out of the six singles matches were 6-0, 6-0 shutouts by the Knights, including seniors Monica Vieth and Julia Passik in first and sixth singles, respectively. Junior Katie Talbot, freshman Amanda Rosati and junior Sarah Shields followed suit in sweeping third, fourth and fifth singles.
Freshman Shiho Sato, playing second singles for the first time, dropped the only game for the Knights in singles play, but still won easily, 6-0, 6-1.
"I don't know how we lost that one game," coach Jim Chen said after the match.
Doubles action was slightly more competitive, but the Knights were still never truly challenged. Veith and Passik were paired together again, this time in first doubles, and they used their chemistry and experience to pull off an 8-1 victory. Seniors Reggie Connelly and Lauren Johnson swept their doubles match, 8-0, while freshmen Shiho and Kato Soto won third doubles, 8-3.
Chen said that while Oswego is a young team, his team, "played hard because we respected their abilities."
On Sept. 10-11, the Knights traveled to William Smith College for the Mary Hosking Invitational. Unlike SUNYAC matches, the Mary Hosking was entirely based on individual results; there was no team scoring. Chen wanted Geneseo to play in the tournament for the last five years, but scheduling conflicts always prevented the team from attending.
The tournament featured four singles' divisions, A – D, and two doubles' divisions, A and B. Several Knights were able to place in the tournament. Talbot won the B singles consolation, while Passik beat out teammate Rosati for the title in C singles. Freshman Courtney Sokol was a finalist in D singles, while Connelly captured the D singles consolation.
In the B doubles division, the Sato sisters beat out Connelly and freshman Zakiyyah Abdus-Salaam in another all-Geneseo match.
Geneseo was the lone representative of the SUNYAC conference at the tournament and all other schools were private institutions. Chen said he favors playing teams outside of the SUNYAC when possible because it introduces the team to "a variety of styles … and toughens us."
The Knights travel to SUNY Brockport on Wednesday Sept. 14, and take on two of the stronger teams in the eastern division, SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Oneonta on Sept. 17 and 18, respectively.
Editor's Note:
The Knights traveled to SUNY Brockport on Sept. 14 and defeated the Golden Flyers, 9-0. Senior Monica Vieth led Geneseo winning first singles 6-0, 6-0 and first doubles 8-2 alongside classmate Julia Passik. Freshmen Shiho and Kato Sato won second doubles, 8-2 and seniors Reggie Connelly and Lauren Johnson took third doubles, 8-1. Geneseo opens up SUNYAC play against New SUNY Paltz on Sept. 16 at home.