NP Hawks Tennis Earns Win Over Wilkes College

By Monica D’Ippolito

KINGSTON, PA – The State University of New York at New Paltz won its second straight match and first since coming back from spring break in Florida, defeating hosting Wilkes College, 8-1 Saturday.

After falling at first doubles, the Hawks came back to take two in doubles and win out their singles matches with second and sixth singles both going into a tie breaker.

“The match was a lot closer than the score,” said Hawks coach Rob Bruley. “We played really well again coming off a two-week layoff after spring break. This match was four years in the making and it’s first time we ever got together. It was a good match, very pleased. Going into Plattsburgh [next week] it gives us a lot of confidence.”

Trinity Chow and Anya Barteck fell to first doubles partners Zoe Klein and Cassidy Greenman, but both Chow and Barteck bounced back to earn wins in their singles matches.

Chow had a dominating performance over Dasha Yakhnis, winning 6-1, 6-0, while Barteck overcame a loss in the first set to win, 6-0, 10-4 in the final two frames.

SUNY New Paltz then won its second and third doubles matches, as Loretta Donovan and Isabel van der Veen defeated Tea Amerise and Kaitlyn O’Neil, 8-2 at threes, while Onalee Batcheller and Alexandra Dratch beat Alexa Cieri and Yakhnis in a tight match at twos, 8-6.

Batcheller went on to earn a 6-2, 6-0 win at third singles over Cieri, while van der Veen won her match at fourth singles, 6-0, 6-4. Donovan overcame a comeback by O’Neil in sixth singles, winning the first set, 6-3 before falling in the second, 3-6 to come back to win the tie-break, 10-5. Tatiana Barnett dominated her match at fifth singles, beating Greenman, 6-1, 6-3.

“In singles, everybody played really well. It’s looking good going into conference play next week,” Bruley said. “Trin really played exceptionally well in singles and Anya did as well. Onalee played well and Tatiana also played really, really solid. They really challenged us.”

SUNY New Paltz is back in action Saturday when it travels to Plattsburgh to take on the Cardinals at 1 p.m. for its first SUNYAC play of the spring.