Garnering mixed results in its Sunshine State swing over spring break, the women’s tennis team prevailed over Florida Atlantic University 5-2 before coming up short against Florida International University, losing 4-3. The men’s team also came away with a win and a loss in Florida, sweeping Florida Atlantic 4-0 but falling to No. 31 South Florida 6-1.
Women’s tennis (11-6)
Dayna Lord ’17, Hannah Camhi ’16, Nikita Uberoi ’15 and Ammu Mandalap ’16 all won in straight sets against the Owls (8-8) to lead Bruno (11-6, 0-0 Ivy) to victory. The women’s team also clinched the doubles point. Camhi, Uberoi and Ashley Noyes ’16 all won individual matches two days later, but Bruno could not secure the deciding doubles point.
Despite the Bears’ success against Florida Atlantic, Mandalap said the singles points were “tough for all of us.” Mandalap barely slid away with a win at fifth-spot singles, beating her competitor 6-4, 7-5. Mandalap and her doubles partner, Noyes, downed their competition at third-spot doubles, winning 8-3. Mandalap said she and Noyes “pump each other up” while staying “calm on the court.” The Owls’ singles game was much stronger than their doubles game, she added.
The weekend was successful overall for the Bears, but it was “upsetting that we didn’t beat FIU,” Lord said. She put up a tough fight at first-spot singles, losing 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. The forceful first-year said she struggled to “adjust to the elements” in her singles play. Camhi, a Herald sports staff writer, explained that there is “extra footwork we need to work on” in order to adjust to outdoor conditions. The Bears have been playing a lot inside, and these matches were only their third and fourth outdoors. Mandalap also pointed to the outdoor factors as a turning point in the loss.
The weather was not the only contributor to the women’s loss to FIU (8-6). “There were some points we didn’t take advantage of,” Mandalap said.
Lord echoed the sentiment that Bruno had trouble “capitalizing on major points.” Though Lord did not win her singles point, she said she and doubles partner Camhi have been “getting into a rhythm.”
The strong first-spot doubles team finished off its competition 8-4. Lord said the doubles success was a result of aggressive play and “not making that many errors.” Camhi also came away with a close win at second-spot singles. She clawed her way back after being down 5-4 and down 40-0 in the deciding game. Camhi saved three different match points to seal the third-set win in what seemed to be an exhausting tiebreaker.
Camhi said she “fought with everything” she had. “Ivy League play is super tough” and “emotionally draining,” she added. Bruno moves on to face Penn (7-5, 0-1) Friday.
Men’s tennis (10-6)
Daniel Hirschberg ’15 led the Bears (10-6, 0-0) in their sweep of the Owls (8-9), winning in both sixth-spot singles and doubles with his partner, Gregory Garcia ’17. Brandon Burke ’14 added to Bruno’s success with a win in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1. Against the Bulls (13-3) two days later, success was harder to come by. Lucas Da Silveira ’16 tallied Bruno’s lone individual point in the 6-1 loss with a 6-3, 6-4 win over opponent Finn Meinecke.
The men’s team also had trouble with the Florida weather. Da Silveira said it was “hard playing in the humidity.” He called his match an “absolute dog fight,” saying the two sets lasted around three and a half hours. The sophomore said he began to cramp in the second set, but then his pain eased and Meinecke began to cramp. He took advantage of his opponent’s weakness, coming back from a 4-1 deficit to finish him off 6-4 in the second set.
The men’s team also takes on Ivy competition this weekend, traveling to Penn (5-9, 1-0) Friday and Princeton (10-8, 0-1) Saturday. Da Silveira said his team is “definitely there, it’s a matter of putting everything together.” He said the winners this weekend will “come down to who is more clutch.”
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