Zach Tolman
Staff Writer
On Tuesday afternoon, the Springfield College women’s tennis team came up short against Mount Holyoke College, falling 8-1, which ended their five-game winning streak on the Appleton Courts.
The sole success that Springfield was able to muster on the day was the No. 1 doubles team made up of the freshman duo, Rachel London and Stephanie Foster.
The two first-years showcased steady improvement in their play, and continue to match well against tough competitors.
Despite doubles matches being the Pride’s bread and butter throughout the fall season, Springfield dropped two out of the three matches to the Lyons.
The No. 2 doubles team made up of the sophomore pair, Melanie Thulin and Arianna Shemms, rallied after falling behind early 4-1, but ultimately lost 9-7 in a close match.
“We addressed that we had to be more aggressive and it was a big step for us to turn it around. We started to develop a mentality that we had nothing to lose and that was when we started to hit some of our better shots,” said Thulin.
In singles play, both London and senior captain Sydney Streimer in the one and two slots went to tiebreakers.
London faced off against Lyon’s senior, AnnElizabeth Konkel. After a dramatic series of the two trading point for point, Konkel was able to clinch the victory.
Streimer also fell to senior Maya Sayarath after working her way back in the match.
“I thought Springfield did a good job making us work hard,” shared Mount Holyoke head coach Aldo Santiago. “They showed great hustle, and I was impressed with both the Springfield squad as well as my players’ performance.”
With the loss, Springfield now moves to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in conference play.
Springfield’s next contest is Saturday on the Appleton Courts against high-powered Wellesley College.
If Springfield is able to pull off an upset victory, they will clinch a spot in the playoffs with a .500 conference record.