The SUNY Plattsburgh tennis team came close but lost to NCAA Division II’s Saint Michael’s College 5-4 after they topped Northern Vermont University and Utica College 9-0 for both matches.
The match with Saint Michael’s wound up being the most competitive match yet for the Cardinals. Three out of six singles ended with three-setters.
“Which means there were some great battles out there,” co-coach Karen Waterbury said. “That’s what we are looking for.”
Junior Rushana Abdeen won with scores of 6-2, 7-5 and lost a set 4-6, for single. Abdeen then went on to win 8-6 for doubles with her partner, sophomore Sarah Hoeffner.
Hoeffner also won her singles 6-3, 6-4 and lost a set 3-6. Junior Kelly Gloo topped her opponent 6-4 and 6-3 for singles too. Senior Sierra Barrett came close for singles but lost 6-1, 6-4 and won the set 6-4.
Volunteer assistant coach Chuck Ko said the match with Saint Michael’s could have gone either way, but it was the best game that prepared the team for the upcoming matches with SUNY Cortland and Oswego State.
“This match could have gone either way, I think Cortland could go [either way]. So, you know, we got to fight in that one too, very similar to this match. So this match will definitely prepare us for the upcoming weekend, for sure,” Ko said.
Prior to the start of the match with Utica, Abdeen, Barrett and senior Madison Brennan were honored by the Cardinals in a Senior Day ceremony.
For the match with Utica, Abdeen and Hoeffner won 8-3 for doubles. Barrett with her partner Bond and sophomore Megan Blake with her partner junior Erin Wiggins topped their opponents, 8-0 for doubles.
For singles, Abdeen, Gloo, and Bond took the games with their opponents scoreless 6-0 and 6-0.
Cardinals topped Lyndon for all doubles 8-0. Leaving their opponent scoreless. Wiggins, Hoeffner and Gloo then went on and won their singles matches 6-0, 6-0.
Freshman Cydney Bond said last week was a good week for the team.
“It’s remarkable to have a group of girls that’s all so friendly and get along so well and we all have the same vision of being a student-athlete,” Bond said.
Bond also said she used to play in just one position throughout her high school and now she is changing positions and working with different people going against opponents with different difficulties, which is making her a well-rounded athlete.
“We’re making progress. We’re getting some competitive movement within the team. Players are moving up and down, which is usually a good and positive indication that everybody is working hard and train to make themselves better,” co-coach Chris Waterbury said.
Gloo said she always expects herself to play the hardest and play to win while still enjoy the game. Gloo also said she used to play tennis in high school but took two years off and decided to come back in her junior year.
She said her then-roommate in freshman year, Abdeen, was always trying to convince her to join but she was nervous about balancing between tennis and college. After getting back to tennis in the summer, she decided tennis is something that she needs to get back into.
“I mean taking two years off of playing so consistently and so committed and dedicated, it really took my skill set down, so I really had to work to get back to where I was,” Gloo said. “So I’m hoping by the end of this season that I will be back to where I was or maybe even better.”
