Junior Melanie Zampardo preps for a serve. Courtesy | Isabella Sheehan

The Hillsdale women’s tennis team lost 5-2 to the Michigan Technological University Huskies Feb. 10. The loss follows recent defeats against Eastern Michigan University, Purdue University Northwest, and Davenport University.

“It was definitely a tough match for the Chargers, but we are really looking forward to this weekend in Pennsylvania to hopefully get our first win and bounce back as a team,” freshman Isabella Spinazze said. “We all had really close, hard, and tough matches this weekend.”

The competition commenced with doubles where senior Melanie Zampardo and sophomore Megan Hackman secured a decisive 6-2 win against the Huskies at the No. 1 position. The Chargers also won the third doubles match as junior Elizabeth McGivern and senior Helana Formentin clinched a victory over Michigan Tech with a score of 6-3.

In singles play, Hillsdale athletes faced intense matches across all positions, freshman Ane Dannhauser said. 

“This weekend was a bit disappointing because we came so close, but we are definitely competing way better,” Dannhauser said. “My match was good. I feel like I’m getting back into the groove of things.”

Dannhauser was competing in her first match this season after being injured for the beginning of the spring semester.

After losing to the Huskies at the No. 1 singles position, Dannhauser took the second match for the Chargers 6-1, 6-3.

Not all matches ended in the Chargers’ favor, however. The third singles match featured McGivern pushing her opponent to a three-set match before falling 4-6, 6-4, 3-6. 

Formentin’s match against the Huskies saw a promising start with a 6-1 win in the first set, but Michigan Tech won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4. Michigan Tech also won the sixth singles match as Rittel was edged out in a three-set battle 1-6, 6-3, 0-1. 

As the Chargers move forward, the forthcoming weekend presents several opportunities for the team to secure its first win of the season. 

“This week in practice, we have really been working on how to come out on top of our upcoming matches,” Spinazze said. 

The Chargers are slated to face off against Edinboro University Saturday at 4 p.m. The competition will continue the following day with a match against Mercyhurst University on Sunday at 3 p.m.

“We had a super tough match against Michigan tech last weekend,” Rittel said, “but overall the entire team competed so well and played their hearts out. It wasn’t all of our best tennis, but I am so proud of this team for still fighting hard and giving it their all.”