After beginning its season at 3-4, the University of Indianapolis women’s tennis team improved its record to 8-4, thanks to a five-match winning streak, which included two shutout victories over the past weekend.
The Greyhounds increased their winning streak over the weekend by knocking off both the University of Southern Indiana on March 28 and the University of Illinois Springfield on March 29 by the final scores of 9-0 in both matches.
Sophomore Allie Smith follows through on a swing during a home tennis match at the UIndy Tennis Center. (Photo by Kameron Casey)
UIndy picked up two wins the weekend before, defeating the Ashland University Eagles 9-0 on Sunday, March 23, and the McKendree University Bearcats 7-2 on Saturday, March 22. Both games were held at home in the UIndy Tennis Center.
Against Ashland, UIndy completed their first sweep of the season, extending their winning streak to three matches.
Sophomore Allie Smith and senior Taylor Eckert contributed to the victory, finding success during the No. 1 doubles, winning 8-3. Eckert said she was proud of the team and the teamwork that took place during the match.
“I think that we [the team] are really starting to come together,” Eckert said. “Everyone is beginning to play for a sense of team, instead of just individual.”
Sophomore Macey Speer and freshman Selenay Heper also won against Ashland, taking the No. 2 doubles 8-1, while junior Brooke Boyts and senior Kasey Land also won the No. 3 doubles 8-1.
Following their success in doubles, the Greyhounds won all six singles matches in straight sets. Freshman Maria Mendes captured a win in No. 2 singles, which was her third regional win in singles play this season. Eckert also found success in singles, winning her fifth singles match of the spring season. Heper won in dual match play in No. 4 singles. Speer won in No. 5 singles with a 6-0, 6-2 score. Land wrapped up action with a win in No. 6 singles with a score of 6-3, 6-1.
Against McKendree, UIndy grabbed an early lead by taking a 3-0 advantage, after sweeping the doubles matches with contributions by Eckert and Smith in No. 1 doubles. The duo, at the time, was ranked eighth in the region. The matches won were against redshirt seniors Adriana and Giuliana Gonzalez, who suffered an 8-4 defeat to the Greyhounds.
Eckert said that she was satisfied with the performance she and her partner gave, and that they are starting to get into a good rhythm and seeing promising results.
“I think that we are really starting to see some major improvements with me and my partner [Allie] Smith,” Eckert said. “I think that we are finally starting to piece together all of the little parts of our game. So I’m pretty happy about where we are right now.”
The Greyhounds had a successful day against McKendree in doubles action, as the No. 2 doubles duo for UIndy, Speer and Heper, grabbed an 8-5 victory to add to the Greyhound lead. Following the No. 2 doubles win, Boyts and Land also won with an 8-5 victory in No. 3 doubles. With the victory, Boyts and Land extended their winning streak to three matches. With the final duo win, the Greyhounds led 7-2.
Boyts said she is extremely pleased with the performances that she and her teammate have shown thus far this season.
“Kasey and I are really strong this year, coming back with more confidence and experience. So we can use that to our advantage,” Boyts said. “[Head Tennis] Coach [Malik Tabet] gives us clear strategies to follow, and it’s up to us to apply them into our game in order to be successful.”
Following the success in doubles, UIndy struggled during the beginning of the singles matches. After McKendree claimed the first two wins in singles, the Greyhounds went on a run, winning the next five singles matches, which ended any chance of a McKendree comeback.
The Greyhounds will prepare for an away matchup against the Bellarmine University Knights on April 4, which is set to begin at 2 p.m.
