The Georgetown women’s tennis team will open conference play against Syracuse on Sunday. The team looks to rebound from a heartbreaking loss last weekend against a high-powered VCU squad. The Orange, who finished fourth in the Big East last season, will not make it easy for the Hoyas to pick up their first win of the season.

“It’s go time now. It was hard to gauge our performance from the VCU match,” Head Coach Gordie Ernst said. “The match this Sunday will definitely determine where we stand.”

Although the Blue and Gray have not beaten the Orange in over 30 years, Ernst thinks that this could be the year.

“I am confident that we could win all of our matches,” he said. “We have a very good team.”

The players are approaching the match with a mix of confidence and uncertainty. Ernst is counting on veterans Stephanie Wetmore, Lauren Greco and Alex Sebia to lead the way.  After missing the Big East tournament by just one win last season, the team will be playing with a chip on its shoulder.

On the other hand, freshmen Tina Tehrani and Madeline Jaeger will be playing in their first big conference match, and Ernst is excited to see how they will respond. Tehrani is coming off a 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4 win at fourth singles against VCU.

A win against Syracuse this weekend could help set the tone for the rest of the season, earning the Hoyas respect in the league and increasing the team’s confidence.