UMW tennis team competes at home for their final fall match

VIOLET AYERS

Photo Editor

This past weekend, from Sept. 27 to Sept. 29, UMW hosted the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III Women’s Southeast Regional Championships to close out their fall 2025 season. 

One of the biggest tournaments of the year for the Mary Washington Eagles, the Championships hosted 153 players, 16 of which were UMW players. Given the sheer size of the competition, the pre-tournament nerves hit a few players ahead of their first match, but excitement outweighed any amxiety.

“Heading into the tournament, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement,” said junior biology major Addison Felts. “This is the biggest tournament of the fall season, so I always aim to perform at my best, especially when we are playing at home.”

The tournament was held at the University Tennis Center, but was pushed indoors on Saturday due to inclement weather. This cut down the tennis complexes’ 18 courts to just six indoor courts that required the use of a shortened score format for some matches to accommodate the volume of competitors. Despite these initial setbacks, the Eagles still gave a worthy performance.

“We have had some great wins as individuals and doubles teams and as a coach, it is very exciting to see,” said Alexandra Covington, the head women’s tennis coach at UMW. 

At the tournament, Felts and her doubles partner, sophomore Natalie Kim, were able to make it to the quarterfinals of the doubles bracket for their second year in a row. The pair won their first few matches, but ultimately met defeat in a close match against students from Carnegie Mellon University. 

“We played with great energy—we stayed on our toes, pumped up and fully focused,” said Kim. “We consistently looked to take control at the net and attack whenever we had the opportunity. Our goal was to play with no hesitation, staying alert and ready to finish points when the chance presented itself.”

Felts agreed, knowing her partner and her playstyle, they can work on shots that complement each other. 

“Throughout our time playing together, my partner and I have been working to understand how to keep the momentum when we are up in the set,” Felts said. “By staying highly active at the net, committing to our shots at the baseline, and having a positive attitude, build each other up, not break each other down, we have found a good dynamic that allows us to perform at our best on match days.”

In addition to her performance in the doubles bracket, Felts was able to make it to the 16th round of the championship singles bracket, along with freshman Izzy Rotaru. In the B flights, a different set of matches for more amateur players, junior biomedical sciences major Abiela Wang and senior business major Madison McCarty were able to make it to the doubles final. McCarty also made it to the finals in the B3 singles bracket. 

The championship doubles bracket ultimately culminated in two teams from Johns Hopkins University meeting in the finals, while the singles bracket was won by a player from Carnegie Mellon University.

As their fall season comes to a close, the Eagles will start to prepare for the spring. For players like Felts, the preparation began before the final match even ended. 

“Overall, I feel like I performed well and was able [to] learn more about myself as a player,” she said. “Going into the off season, I now have a clear understanding of what I need to improve and a plan for how to achieve those goals before spring.”

UMW players will keep improving their skills in preparation for their next matches. 

“We have a motto for the team and it is ‘1% better every day.’ Everything we do throughout the year is to try and get a little bit better,” Covington said. “often small adjustments can lead to major improvements.” 

UMW women’s tennis’ next match will be Feb. 6 at home against George Mason University.