From the start of the 2014 season, one of the Georgetown women’s tennis team’s (8-9, 2-2 Big East) weaknesses was doubles play, only managing a 23-27 record in doubles matches. Most recently, it had the chance to extend its winning streak to seven matches last weekend against James Madison, but it lost all three doubles matches and ultimately the match 4-3.

Friday afternoon, the Hoyas’ performances told a different story. Victories on the doubles side lifted the team over the Seton Hall Pirates (10-7, 2-2 Big East) in a 4-3 result. The doubles point was crucial to the conference win, as the Pirates and the Hoyas split the singles matches, each winning three.

Though Georgetown fell in the first, second and third slots, it captured the remainder of the singles competitions courtesy of freshman Sophia Barnard, junior Sophie Panarese and sophomore Liselot Koenen. Barnard’s 6-4, 7-5 straight-sets victory at fourth singles represented her seventh win out of the last nine matches. Panarese triumphed over Seton Hall junior Madison Shoemaker 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, Koenen edged out freshman Julie Martiny in a tough three-setter concluding in a 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 result.

Koenen’s play continued into her first doubles pairing with freshman Victoire Saperstein, defeating Seton Hall seniors Chloe Sher and Rocio Portela-Berrios, 8-5. Senior co-captains Kelly Comolli and Madeline Jaeger paired up to win at second doubles, securing the match for the Hoyas.

Although the women saved the match on the doubles side against Seton Hall, Georgetown fell to Connecticut (7-11, 0-4 AAC) 4-3 after splitting singles matches yet again the next day.

“We had such a battle with UConn,” Head Coach Gordie Ernst said. “When it comes down to it, like with UConn, it just comes down to a few points. It’s not any particular patterns or anything, it’s, ‘Did we convert those big points?’ We didn’t do it against UConn, and we did against Seton Hall. ”

Saperstein continued to impress with a win at first singles, bringing her record to 4-1 in the last five matches.

“I think Victoire was probably the top player of the weekend,” Ernst said. “She won her doubles match against Seton Hall and lost a tight match against one of the best players in the Big East.”

Panarese and Koenen both triumphed in tough three-set battles in the fifth and sixth singles slots, respectively. Panarese won all four of her matches this weekend, which Ernst sees as key to her morale.

“Sophie Panarese won all of her matches this weekend, which is great for her and her confidence.”

Though the Hoyas performed admirably at singles, the length of the matches and conditions sealed their fate at doubles.

“We had to play six long singles matches, and it was very windy. That affects your serving. It affects everything,” Ernst said.

“I think, actually, Seton Hall had better doubles players, too,” he added. “It just shows you that if you give away and make mistakes, then you can lose the doubles point.”

The Georgetown men’s tennis team (7-9, 0-1 Big East) had better luck against Connecticut, sweeping singles in a 6-0 style. The teams did not play doubles matches. Sophomore Daniel Khanin and junior Shane Korber won at first and second singles, respectively, in three-set battles. Junior Alex Tropiano, freshman Jack Murphy, senior co-captain Casey Distaso and junior John Brosens all won in straight-set matches.

Though the Hoyas defeated the Huskies, they lost a significant conference match against the Xavier Musketeers (11-10, 1-2 Big East) in a 5-2 decision the day before. Ernst emphasized the larger significance of conference matches and the higher expectations that accompany them.

“Those are big matches. Though, for some reason, our guys didn’t treat it like a big match. The guys were outcompeted on their home court, and that’s really not good.”

The Hoyas’ sole points came from Murphy and Distaso in the fourth and fifth singles slots, respectively. Khanin fell to Xavier senior Mesa Mei in a 6-0, 6-2 result, while Korber fell in a three set match against senior Jimmy Roebker.

Both the men’s and the women’s teams have quick turnarounds as they prepare to take on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The women’s team (6-8) faces Georgetown with a 3-4 record in its past seven matches, while the men’s squad (10-8) is currently suffering from a four-match slide after winning seven in a row.

The matches will take place on UMBC’s home courts at 2 p.m. April 9.