A short-handed women’s tennis team dropped two matches this weekend against Penn State and West Virginia at a dual meet at University Park. The Lions were defeated 7-0 by both West Virginia and Penn State, dropping their record to 2-4 in the non-conference portion of the schedule.
In the first matchup of the weekend, against the Mountaineers from West Virginia, the Lions only competed with four players and decided not to participate in two of the singles matches and one of the doubles matches. In the doubles matchup, Columbia’s number-one doubles team of sophomore Carling Donovan and freshman Natalia Christenson fell 8-6 to the talented West Virginia duo of Stacey Percival and Natalia Prinz. At second doubles, the Lions duo of freshman Stephanie Zilberman and sophomore Kim McMenamin fell to the pairing of Monica Lyskawa and Stephanie LaFortune 8-5. These two victories, combined with the doubles forfeit, gave the Mountaineers the doubles point and a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Lions fought hard in their singles matches, three of which were decided by tiebreaks. Zilberman dropped her match at number-one singles 6-4, 5-7 (10-8), and Donovan dropped her match at number-two singles 4-6, 6-3 (10-1). Christenson fought valiantly but ultimately dropped her match by a score of 6-4, 6-7, (10-6). McMenamin, playing at number-four singles, was defeated in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, and the Mountaineers finished the sweep with two wins at number-five and number-six singles by default.
The second matchup of the dual meet saw the Lions face off against the Nittany Lions, who won two matches by default, one in singles, and one in doubles. Donovan and Christenson were defeated at number-one doubles 8-2, and Zilberman and McMenamin were defeated 8-4 at number-two doubles. The Nittany Lions dominated the singles matches between number-two and number-six, losing no more than two games in any of the matches. The Lions put up a much stiffer resistance at number- one singles where freshman standout Zilberman matched Nittany Lions senior Katelyn BeVard nearly shot for shot before dropping the tightly contested match 7-5, 7-6(9-7).
The Lions return to action this Saturday, March 8 against West Point. The match will begin at noon and will be played at West Point, NY.