ALTOONA, Pa. (Sept. 6) – The Saint Vincent College women's tennis team opened the 2023-24 season with a 7-2 victory at Penn State-Altoona.
The Bearcats (1-0) opened the sweltering afternoon by taking two of three doubles points, before going 5-1 in singles play to cruise to the season-opening win.
After Saint Vincent began the day with a 1-0 lead after a Penn State-Altoona forfeit in the No. 3 doubles spot, the Lions claimed the victory at No. 1 doubles to tie it at 1-1. The Bearcats would then take the lead for good when the No. 2 doubles pairing of
Lydia Lieb and
Abby Donnelly earned an 8-4 victory.
A forfeit in the No. 6 singles spot gave SVC a 3-1 lead to open singles play, before
Marisa Hooper put the visitors ahead 4-1 in the match with her first career singles win, a 6-0, 6-1 decision in the No. 5 position.
Donnelly's second victory of the afternoon, a 6-1, 6-2 win in the No. 4 singles spot, would then clinch the match win for Saint Vincent.
Lieb was also a two-time winner on the day for the Bearcats, with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at the No. 3 singles spot, while 2022-23 Presidents' Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year
Carolina Walters would pick up the win at No. 1 singles by a 6-1, 6-3 score.
Saint Vincent will now have a one-day respite, before returning to action on Friday, Sept. 8, when it opens up the home portion of its 2023-24 campaign with a 4 p.m., non-conference matchup with Carlow University on the SVC Courts.
