The Massachusetts women’s tennis team visits Holy Cross today, the first time that the Minutewomen have visited the Crusaders since the spring of 2008 when they shutout the Crusaders 7-0.
The Crusaders are coming off a 5-2 victory over Hartford this past Tuesday. They won five-of-six singles matches to cruise to the victory. With the win, Holy Cross improved to 1-2 on the season.
UMass sophomore Magdalena Ploch will match up with senior Kristen Meahl at No. 1 singles. Meahl is currently 1-2 on the season, while Ploch stands at 2-1 with her work at the Eastern Collegiate Invitational. Meahl became only the second Holy Cross player to ever earn All-Patriot League honors last season, as she was named to the second team. She is also the team captain for the Crusaders and went 14-12 overall last year.
At No. 2 singles, UMass freshman Julia Comas will square off with sophomore Carolyn Chandley. Chandley holds a 1-2 record, with her lone victory coming last match against Hartford. She went 14-12 last season in singles play, which was tied for the team lead.
The No. 3 singles match will pit UMass junior Kaitlyn Carpenter against sophomore Emily Marr. Marr stands at 2-1 on the season with victories over Siena and Hartford. She went 14-8 last year overall, with her .636 singles winning percentage ranking second on the team.
All three singles competitors for Holy Cross are members of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Several players have combined to play No. 4 and No. 5 singles this year for Holy Cross in their three matches, including senior Ivette Konopka, senior Kathryn Wilkie, sophomore Jen Daffron and senior Hailee Lange. The Crusaders currently have a 2-4 record between the No. 4 and No. 5 singles this season.
Sophomore Gabriella Jannotta and freshman Chantal Swiszcz will be their opponents for UMass.
Fresh off a No. 1 doubles title at the Eastern Collegiate Invitational, junior Candynce Boney and senior Maude Lecluyse will team up to face Meahl and Chandley. Meahl was 10-14 last year in doubles action, while Chandley was 14-12. The Holy Cross duo has gone 0-3 on the season thus far.
UMass will send junior Tanisha Hodgson and freshman Jocelyn Providence out to face the Crusaders’ team of Marr and sophomore Emma Rudnik. Marr went 10-12 last year overall at doubles, while Rudnik was able to muster a 10-15 record. This combination of players currently holds a 1-1 record on the season.
Hodgson and Providence won the consolation bracket at the Eastern Collegiate Invitational on Sunday after falling in a competitive first-round match.
This upcoming match will be the first time that the Minutewomen have played on the new tennis courts at Holy Cross, which opened for this season. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
Ben Lambert can be reached at [email protected].
