Women’s tennis team’s six game win streak comes to an end

By KELSEY SHEFFER

Staff Writer

The sixteenth nationally ranked UMW women’s Tennis team lost their six game win streak during their first home game since arriving back from California. The beginning of the season has been the strongest the women’s team has seen in years; however, once the team returned home to play MIT on Friday, disaster would strike leaving the team with a 6-3 loss in every game of the weekend.

UMW held the advantage over the eighteenth  ranked MIT on Friday during the doubles matches with a three to two win. This was in part thanks to seniors Ashley Barrow and Kait Brogan who took home a 8-6 win over the MIT Women’s Tennis Team. Ashley and Kait are both first team All- CAC Doubles players. Caroline Mosberg and Rachel Summers also helped lead the team with their 8-6 victory.

However, it was not until singles matches that the pace of the game would change. The Eagles were defeated once MIT grabbed a 4-3 advantage and had two matches going into the third set. Kait Brogan, named two time CAC Player of the Year and VASID All State First Team in Singles, lost to MIT’s Nithya Kanagasegar 6-7 and 1-6. Rachel Cooperfell, freshman and former high school all state player, went into the third set and fell, 1-6, 7-6, 6-4, leaving MIT to gain a victory over UMW.

The UMW women’s Tennis Team looks to be in good shape even with their recent losses. Last year, the team won the CAC Champion and made a second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles are also retaining six starters, five of which being first and second team players as well as the reigning two time CAC player of the year, Kait Brogan.

These ladies have spent countless hours during their off season in the weight room as well as participating in team building activities which will help them prepare to maintain their 14 year streak of CAC Conference Championships. The team also has goals of reaching the Elite Eight of the CAA tournament as well as finish 15th nationally this year. Ashley Barrow, senior, states that she is “excited about all the opportunities the schedule has to offer” as well as seeing what her team can do with their amazing potential.

Come see these fierce ladies during their next game at the UMW Tennis Center on Saturday, Mar. 24 at against Centre.