Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department
On Saturday, October 16th, the Hillsdale Chargers women’s tennis team traveled to play at Davenport where they finished off the fall season with a 7-0 sweep.
Head Coach Nicole Walbright expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance over the weekend as players were able to execute things that they had been working on throughout the duration of the fall season.
“Saturday was the perfect finish to our fall season,” Walbright said. “The entire team showed up ready to play and everyone performed perfectly.”
In doubles, Chargers Senior Sarah Hackman teamed up with freshman Libby McGivern to defeat Willemien Coetzee and Kumiko Yamaguchi of Davenport 6-3.
“We knew it was our last match of the fall season going in and we wanted to end it on a good note, so it was nice that we accomplished that.” Hackman said.
Hackman wrapped up this season winning G-MAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week after going undefeated.
Following this, Hillsdale’s Canela Luna and Sophia Spinazze triumphed over Davenport’s Louise Hosking and Danica Malan in a 6-1 victory before Chargers Ellie Chawner and Julia Wagner finished off doubles for the day with a 6-0 win over Sophie Jackson and Kailyn Skogmo.
“Doubles went really well, they were strong matches but each pair executed everything we have worked on this Fall and I was really happy with their performances.” Walbright said
Hackman then led the Chargers with a 6-3, 6-0 victory against Willemien Coetzee in the No. 1 singles match.
The rest of the singles players for the Chargers followed suit as Canela Luna defeated Yamaguchi 6-4, 7-5, McGivern defeated Danica Malan 6-1, 6-4, Spinazze defeated Jackson 6-1, 6-1, Helana Formentiz defeated Hosking 6-2, 6-2, and Chawner defeated Skogmo 6-0, 6-1.
Formentin, a sophomore, noted that the successful day provided a confidence booster for the Chargers moving into the offseason.
“I think we’re really going to take the energy from these matches into our offseason getting prepared,” Formentin said.
Overall the fall season was a success for the chargers as they were able to work on their level of competition moving toward the offseason and eventually the spring season.
“I think the fall helped prepare us for the spring and made us closer as a team,” Hackman said. “We had some really good team bonding that happened as well which was good.”
Formentin commented that the team will be working hard moving toward the spring season in order to be best prepared for the competition.
“We’ll set up policies and hours on the court, but we’re still conditioning and fully practicing,” Formentin said. “Then after Christmas, we’ll come back and train for a week before beginning the spring season.”