Men's Tennis Ends Season; Women's Prepares for HCAC
Wayne Smith
Manchester women’s tennis finished the day with a loss of 8 to 1 against Hanover on Saturday, October 7.
The lone win came from the singles division with Erin Cordill, improving her conference record to a flawless 5-0, though she almost received company in the win column with fellow senior Miriam Ali, who lost in a superset tiebreaker 10-5. The team math loss drops the Spartans to a 3-4 record overall, and a conference record of 3-2, which places them fourth in the HCAC standings. Because of that, making the final two matchups against third place Rose-Hulman (October 12), and fifth place Transylvania (October 14) very critical, as these matches will shape the seeding for the HCAC tournament later this fall.
“We need to focus on being mentally tough and competing hard no matter the circumstances,” said Cordill, who has only lost 6 matches over the past 2 seasons combined. She also placed extra emphasis on the doubles section. “We need to come out strong from the beginning,” she said. “Our goal is to win both matches and start the conference tournament on a high note.”
Being a senior, Cordill said this season means a little more than the others. “I have worked really hard to get to this point, and the team hopes to finish the season on a strong note.” She also described the team as a family, and she’s hopeful for the future. “I hope the success we’ve had so far will continue on for many years.”
The women’s team hosted Rose-Hulman on Thursday, October 12, and will host Transylvania on Saturday, October 14, and will then wait to see who their opponent will be for the HCAC tournament in the coming weeks.
On the men’s team, they wrapped up their preseason action on Sept. 30 with a 6-3 loss to conference-foe Franklin. First-year Isaac Miller and senior Spencer Thomas won the only doubles matchup for the Spartans, and Miller took away another win in singles, with senior Kyler Love following suit. They are hoping for more improvement this spring.
Senior Garrett Bear reflects on the team’s fall preseason. “The two matches this fall served as a measuring stick for us as a team,” he stated. “They allowed us to see the four first years in action, and I’m excited for the spring season because we are going to be really competitive.”
Bear also went on to say the team’s depth will be very helpful this year. “Having four seniors on the roster will definitely be a strength for us,” he added. “We also have great team chemistry, which will really help us on and off the court.”
For now, the men’s tennis program will not resume match play until April 7, 2018, and they have high hopes going into the spring campaign. With the senior leadership and energy from their first-years, they hope to achieve team goals together.
The women’s tennis team will host their last game of the season (Franklin) until the HCAC tournament begins.