Shipping up to Boston: Tennis Notches Two Big Wins

The men’s and women’s tennis teams traveled to Boston lastweekend for a trio of matches. The women defeated Brandeis 7-2, while the men split their weekend matches against Boston College and Boston University. It was a solid all-around weekend as the women picked up their first win of the season. For the men, senior captain Martin MacIntyre was named Patriot League Player of the Month for January.

The women’s tennis team headed to Waltham where they defeated previously unbeaten Brandeis 7-2 thanks in part to the play of senior captain Erin Fenn and junior Elise DeRose. The women swept all three doubles matches, as DeRose and junior Cameron Williams, Fenn and senior Cameron Thaney, and first-years Alexandra Ericskon and Stephanie Brown won their matches 8-5, 8-5 and 8-2 respectively. The women went on to take four of six singles matches en route to their first victory. Fenn believes this victory is the first of many for the Colgate women’s team.

“Saturday was a solid showing from us,” Fenn said. “From the start we came out strong in doubles and really carried that momentum into our singles matches. With each competition we are getting stronger as a team and I think that as we all start to put it together and gain in confidence we can only get better.”

The men’s team shipped up to Boston to take on the Boston College Eagles. Unfortunately, the men dropped the match in disheartening fashion, losing 6-1. The lone victory of the day came from Ruslan “The Kalashnikov” Goussiantnikov, who soundly defeated Boston College’s Brendon Wong 6-4, 6-4.

However, the heart of downtown Boston was more promising for the Raiders than Chestnut Hill. Although Colgate split its six singles matches, the Raiders swept their doubles matches to grab a crucial point, which proved vital in edging the Terriers 4-3. MacIntyre lost his first singles match to Boston College’s Jeff Chudacoff 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, but not to be deterred, MacIntyre and junior John Nogueras triumphed in their doubles match, defeating Chudacoff and Charles Weinstein 8-3. Goussiantnikov continued his dominant play as he defeated James Bernstein in No. 4 singles 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

The men improved to 2-3, while the women improved to 1-4. Both teams will look to continue their winning ways when Niagara University rolls into Hamilton this weekend.