The Hillsdale College women’s tennis team secured their third-straight victory Saturday against the Purdue University Northwest Pride by a score of 4-3.
The win puts the Chargers at the top of the G-MAC, but it did not go without suspense.
“It was truly a team effort for the day,” head coach Nikki Walbright said.
The Chargers scored the first point after two solid doubles matches by the No. 1 and No. 2 teams. Senior Hannah Cimpeanu and junior Sarah Hackman on the first court put their opponents away firmly with a 6-2 win.
Sophomore Canela Luna and junior Sophia Spinazze made quick work on the second court, winning 6-1 after dropping the first game.
“Honestly the other team was getting in our heads. But then Sophia and I went to the back and chatted for a second and all of a sudden we were the ones cheering for ourselves and being aggressive on the court,” Luna said. “After that we kind of steamrolled over them.”
In singles, the top two courts delivered key victories, with Hackman and Luna, who usually plays at No. 3, both winning in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 2.
Every point mattered in Luna’s 6-2, 6-1 win. In that match, Luna was able to keep putting the pressure on her opponent like she and Spinazze did in doubles by coming to the net, she said.
“The key thing that has been a weapon for my game is playing really good defense and knowing when to transition into offense,” Luna said. “I have really good topspin balls, but using that topspin to transition into a flatter shot, to come to the net and finish out the point has been a strength. That transition has been really good, it allowed me opportunities to put it away.”
Hackman’s 6-4, 6-4 win against PNW’s Sienna Lopez was a battle of power, according to Walbright, that earned Hackman G-MAC Player of the Week recognition.
“It was probably one of her best singles matches I’ve seen,” Walbright said. “[Lopez] hit an extremely heavy ball but Sarah not only kept up with it, she controlled it and gave it right back.”
After other Chargers were unable to convert, the match came down to sophomore Ellie Chawner at No. 5 singles.
Dropping the first set 4-6, she took the momentum in the second after being down to tie the match and taking the second set 6-4. In the full-third set decider, she took a firmer grasp on the match, winning 6-1 and clinching victory for the Chargers.
“Ellie played amazingly and pulled it out. At this time the other courts were finishing and it was a 3-3 match,” Walbright said. “Ellie was very confident and steady for the third set. She didn’t let up on the ball and won it convincingly to give us the team win.”
