The Hillsdale women’s tennis team won its third consecutive match April 1, defeating host Kentucky Wesleyan 7-0.
Senior Sarah Hackman and junior Melanie Zampardo started the day with a 6-0 win against their opponents at No. 1 doubles. The No. 2 doubles pair, senior Canela Luna and freshman Megan Hackman, followed this up with a victory of their own, earning a 6-0 win as well to take the doubles point.
At No. 1 singles, Hackman finished 6-0, 6-0 winning her matches in straight sets. Zampardo did the same at No. 2 singles.
Senior Ellie Chawner secured a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 3 singles. Freshman Isabella Spinazze won 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 4 spot.
Spinazze’s match on Saturday was her first for the Chargers and sophomore Libby McGivern said that the team was impressed with her performance.
Even though there were some challenges leading up to the match, the Chargers remained focused, according to Luna.
“It was an interesting time since we had a tornado pass by 5 miles from the hotel the night before the match,” Luna said.
McGivern added that it was a great weekend for the team because they were able to rest up for their doubleheader the following weekend.
“Unfortunately, the Kentucky team did not have a full line up but we went anyway and brought our best tennis,” McGivern said. “Overall we had a great weekend as a team.”
Capitalizing on the opponent’s short-handed lineup, the Chargers were still able to maintain a competitive edge on the court, according to Luna.
“Because they only had four girls, we were able to spread out the lineup a bit and give some players rest,” Luna said. “Overall, I think we played very well, though, regardless of the competition.”
Including their latest win, Hillsdale’s overall record stands at 6-7 with a 3-1 record in the G-MAC. With crucial home matches looming, the team will need to maintain their winning streak to secure a spot in the upcoming G-MAC tournament. The Chargers will host Cedarville April 7 and Ashland April 8, both of whom are close behind in the standings.
“The Kentucky match was not a super close match,” Spinazze said, “but we showed up and took care of business. It was a long ride down there but we had good spirits and won in record time.”
