The Colgate University men’s and women’s tennis teams both had big weekends over Feb. 15-16. The teams dominated a formidable competitor in Siena College, and completed their weekends with respective team wins over University of Rochester as well. With such a big weekend, and the season ramping up, there is a lot of reason to be excited. The women’s team won 5-2 against Siena, and had a 7-0 sweep against Rochester. The Men’s team followed closely with 6-1 victories over Siena and Rochester. Although neither opponent is in the Patriot League, Siena has historically been a very challenging matchup for the Raiders, making these commanding victories very meaningful to the program. Colgate’s sweep of Rochester boosted the team’s success and hopes even further.
The match against Rochester on Feb. 16 carried additional significance as it was the team’s annual heart awareness match, an event that resonates deeply with the players and the broader community.
“It was really exciting and nice to have people come support the heart awareness match which means a lot to our team and community,” junior Sasha Herman said.
The weekend’s success provided a major confidence boost as both teams look ahead to the rest of the season. The recent traction is key to future success of the team, and they are hopeful for continued support in home matches.
The men’s team, led by Head Coach Bobby Pennington, has high spirits after their weekend sweep and hot start to the season. With just over a third of the season completed, the team is already approaching last year’s win total.
“This year has been a huge turnaround. We are close to our win total last year and it’s only February […]. Everyone [has] bought in with the same goal,” Pennington said.
With a successful start to the season behind them, the men’s team hopes to continue racking up wins. The team has opened their season with a 4-3 record, bouncing back from a competitive loss to Binghamton University with the crucial win over Siena. Their ability to bounce back from adversity has been a key factor in their success.
“We started off with four wins and two losses so we’re really happy about that,” said junior Aidan Lee. “We dropped a competitive match to Binghamton but rebounded really nicely, beating Siena […]. This season’s success and big wins come from a cohesive team where everyone plays for each other.”
The dominant win over Siena propelled the team into their next matches, as they have posed a very difficult opponent in the past. The matches of Feb. 15 and 16 are early signs of what this team is capable of. Having only conceded two matchups prior to their weekend sweep — versus Marist College and Binghamton — the team enters its next competition with a lot of confidence backed by success.
“[My] confidence has really increased so far this season. We have a winning environment now with all the guys here. Everyone is getting into the groove,” first-year Tim Viding said.
Lee added that personal boosts in morale have contributed to greater team success.
“The team continues to grow with individual performances,” Lee added.
Both the men’s and women’s teams are excelling in doubles play, often securing the doubles point early to establish control over matches. This strategy has proved to be an essential part of their game plan, helping them take early leads and dictate the pace of play, and proved crucial in the win against Siena.
“We won the doubles point which was huge to start off, and rolled with it,” Lee said.
Pennington agreed that winning the doubles match was a key first step.
“We set the tone winning the doubles point, and continued to win the big points,” Pennington said.
The women’s team has shown their confidence in powerful wins and general improvement this season. Their ability to bounce back from early setbacks has been key to their success as they continue refining their game and building momentum.
Herman recalled the comeback the women’s team had earlier in the season, in their first match against Stonehill College.
“We came off losing the doubles point, and then we came back and almost swept in singles,” Herman said.
Since then, the women’s team has managed to concede very few points in their dominant wins. With each match, players are gaining confidence and proving their ability to compete at a high level. The team remains focused on carrying this momentum forward, using its early success as a foundation for what looks to be a promising season.
Update: The men’s played against Lehigh University this past weekend at Drumlins Country Club in Syracuse, N.Y. The Mountain Hawks are one of the toughest Patriot League opponents, currently ranked No. 1 in the league for men. Despite a hard fought match, the Raiders came up short after a hot start, losing 5-2 on team score. The women’s team picked up a 6-1 win over Providence College and dropped a match 1-6 to Boston University over the weekend.
