After a series of tight losses on the road, the Georgetown women’s tennis team (4-8, 1-2 Big East) showed its strength with a win over Howard University on campus Thursday, dominating the Bison 6-1 at McDonough outdoor tennis complex.

The women’s team has faced an uphill battle in recent weeks. Unfavorable matchups for the Blue and Gray have often ended in Georgetown losses by margins as small as only one point. However, as the team returned home, it demonstrated its winning form.

“Anytime we were in a tight situation, the girls were loose,” Head Coach Gordie Ernst said. “We played to win instead of playing not to lose. There’s a difference between [the two].”

In doubles play, Georgetown devastated its opposition. The pairing of graduate student Stephanie Wetmore and freshman Tina Tehrani almost managed a shutout of junior Michelle Brown and freshman Katelyn Strokes, defeating the Bison pair, 8-1. Sophomore Vicky Sekely and junior Lauren Greco also easily handled their opposition, beating sophomore Brittney Morgan and freshman Brooke Hawthorne, 8-3. The third Georgetown duo, freshman Maddie Jaeger and senior Alex Sebia, clinched the doubles point for Georgetown, defeating senior Alyssa Works and junior Anne Akhimien, 8-4.

The Hoyas were no less dominant in singles play. Wetmore shut down Strokes, defeating her, 6-1, 6-0. Jaeger handed Works a loss by the same margin. Greco later handily defeated Morgan, 6-1, 6-4.  Tehrani also showed the strength of the Blue and Gray, beating Hawthorne, 6-0, 6-2.

“From top to bottom in the line-up, they were so focused,” Ernst said. “It was by far the best match of the year.”

Two of the six singles matches were much closer. Sophomore Alex Landers let go of a first set lead and fell to Akhimien, 3-6, 7-5, 10-8. However, the story of the match was Sekely. The sophomore faced off against Michelle Brown, Howard’s strongest player, and fought off a second-set resurgence to win the match, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

“Michelle’s a heck of a player,” Ernst said. “And that [Sekely’s match against Brown] was the best match I’ve seen Vicky play as a Hoya. I’m really, really proud of her.”

With a victory under their belt, the Hoyas will travel to Connecticut tomorrow to take on UConn and Providence.