Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Tennis | Both Squads Earn 3rd Straight Win

Senior Victoire Saperstein captured a 6-3, 6-1 victory in her No. 1 singles match against her DePaul counterpart in Georgetown’s 4-3 victory on Saturday.  (COURTESY GUHOYAS)
Senior Victoire Saperstein captured a 6-3, 6-1 victory in her No. 1 singles match against her DePaul counterpart in Georgetown’s 4-3 victory on Saturday.
(COURTESY GUHOYAS)

For the second weekend in a row, the Georgetown men’s and women’s tennis teams swept their matches, as each squad increased its winning streak to three.

Playing its only match in a 21-day span, the Georgetown women (11-4, 1-1 Big East) earned their first conference win of the season on Saturday with a 4-3 victory over DePaul (10-7, 2-2 Big East) at Yates Fieldhouse.

The Blue and Gray relied on its depth to earn the gritty victory, as contributions came from the doubles lineup and the top, bottom and middle of Georgetown’s singles team. Following a loss in the first doubles match, the Hoyas rallied to capture the point with wins in the No. 2 and 3 doubles positions.

Led by senior standout Victoire Saperstein — who also won her No. 1 singles match in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 against a nationally ranked opponent — the combination of Saperstein and junior Casey Marx swept the No. 2 match 6-0. Head Coach Gordie Ernst offered high praise of Saperstein and Marx when asked about their weekend performance.

“She played her best tennis of the year. By far her best doubles — she and Casey were just on another level. It was unbelievable, they could not miss, and it was great to see,” Ernst said about Saperstein.

Clinching the doubles point were junior Drew Spinosa and sophomore Cecilia Lynham, who won 6-2 in the No. 3 slot.

In singles competition, Spinosa continued her successful day in the No. 6 singles slot, where she secured Georgetown’s third point in a straight set, 6-0, 6-3 victory. Capping off the Blue and Gray’s victory, sophomore Risa Nakagawa triumphed 6-4, 6-4 to secure the match-deciding point.

The win marked the third in the row for Georgetown — its longest streak in the 11-win campaign since the Blue and Gray earned five consecutive victories between February and April. As Georgetown begins a period of extended rest, Ernst looks forward to using the period to recover and prepare for the Big East championships.

“This is a good time to catch up — we got some girls with some nagging injuries. It’s a long season, so you want to be fresh and fired up for the Big East,” Ernst said.

On Friday, the men added a third victory to their sole winning streak of the season with a 4-3 triumph over Temple (14-9, 1-3 AAC) in Philadelphia. Leading up to the Big East championships, the Hoyas (7-10, 0-2 Big East) continued to gain momentum as the back of the singles and doubles lineup led the charge against the Owls.

Georgetown earned its fifth consecutive doubles victory, dating back to March 25. After dropping the No. 1 match 6-4, Georgetown’s rally began with the duo of junior Marco Lam and senior Jordan Portner, who triumphed 6-2 in the No. 2 slot. Junior Mac Rechan and freshman Ian Witmer, who proved to be big contributors in the victory, secured the Hoyas’ double point with a 6-4, 7-5 victory in the No. 3 position.

While the top of the singles team  —  No. 1 through 3 — were swept by their Temple opponents, Georgetown showcased the depth of the men’s team with an impressive rally. Sophomore Michael Chen, competing in the No. 4 position in the Blue and Gray’s lineup, ignited Georgetown’s comeback with a 6-2, 6-4 victory.

Rechan, battling at No. 5, also won in straight sets, securing a point for the Hoyas with a 6-3, 6-2 win, while Witmer — who won his fourth consecutive match — continued his promising development by taking his No. 6 match 6-4, 7-5. Coach Ernst remarked on Witmer’s rapid path to success.

“He’s been so solid the last few weeks, winning matches when the match is on the line. That’s not common for a freshman. He’s really stepped up and dealt with the pressure,” Ernst said.

Georgetown looks to extend its winning streak to four when it battles Emory (10-4) on Thursday in Washington, before taking on conference-rival Villanova (10-7, 0-1 Big East) in the last match of the season April 22.

 

 

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