Growing pains continue for women’s tennis after dropping six straight – The Cauldron
The tennis season is rapidly coming to a close and the Cleveland State University women’s team still has a lot of unfinished business to take care of before it’s all said and done. Unfortunately, the Vikings as a team have hit a recent rough patch losing the last six matches in a row.
Match one took place on Feb. 20 as the Vikings matched up against the Bearcats of Cincinnati. This match didn’t go as planned for the Vikings as the Bearcats won five out of six singles matches and two out of three doubles. The final score was 6-1, Vikings senior Klara Mrcela picked up a victory in her singles match giving the team the one point on the day.
Freshman Oihane Vicario gets ready to swing. Photo courtesy of Vikings Athletics
The second match came almost a week later on Feb. 26 against Buffalo and while the team fought hard they ultimately came up just short in what was a 4-3 defeat. The Vikings split the six doubles matches winning three of said matches but Buffalo picked up the deciding point winning two of the three doubles matches leading to the victory. Freshmen Oihane Vicario, Sima Heren, and sophomore Bethany Yauch, all picked up victories in their singles matches. Sophomore Selma Tounsi and Yauch picked up the single doubles victory but again the team just fell short.
Match three was a quick turnaround as it was played the next day Feb. 27, against Bowling Green. Although it was a new day it would hold the same result as the Vikings would again come up short in a 4-3 loss. The team swept the doubles matches but was only able to pick up two singles wins. Vicario and freshman Tereze Vevere picked up singles victories and as previously stated the team swept the doubles matches but still came up short in another 4-3 defeat.
Starting off the month of March the Vikings would travel to Indianapolis to face the Butler Bulldogs and would look to start the month out with a win. It didn’t start well as the team would drop the first two singles matches before Mrcela would pick up a victory and that would be followed by back-to-back wins by Vevere and Yauch. The Bulldogs fought back to win the sixth singles match meaning yet again it was all up to the doubles matches with the Bulldogs winning the first two out of three meaning they would take the win in a familiar score of 4-3.
Senior Klara Mrcela returns the ball in a match. Photo courtesy of Vikings Athletics
The final and most recent match came this past weekend against Ball State and it was another defeat as the Vikings started off with a 1-0 lead as Vicario picked up a singles win but that would be it. Ball State would run the table in the next five singles matches and would only get one of the three doubles wins in a 6-1 defeat.
The team continues to go through some growing pains as lone upperclassman Klara Mrcela tries to lead this team to victory. Of the seven rostered players, four are freshmen and two are sophomores. The future still remains bright for women’s tennis though as they currently stand at 6-8 heading into Horizon League play in April.