Category: Tennis

Claudia Silvers

Contributing Writer 

The women’s tennis team once again dominated the courts on Sept. 20-21 in its second home tournament of the fall season. The Bison faced competition against Villanova, Mount St. Mary’s, and Bloomsburg.

“I’m thrilled at the level we are competing at for this early in our year. We are not only playing solid tennis, but we are playing smart tennis, which is a very encouraging sign for later this year,” head coach Rebecca Helt said.

Off to a great start in both doubles and singles, the Bison placed a team member in the finals of every draw. Stephanie Pino ’16, Michele Urbinati ’17, and Jorie Fox ’17 all finished as champions of their respective brackets. Pino won all three of her Blue Flight singles matches in straight sets, never giving up more than three games. Pino ultimately defeated Villanova’s Nicole Coons 6-3, 6-0 in the finals.

Urbinati followed a similar pattern and did not drop a set in her White Draw singles matches, defeating Villanova player Conner Brewer 6-2, 6-2 in the finals.

Fox won the Gray Draw, recovering from a tough three-set match in the semifinals to triumph over Villanova’s Giana Mitchell 6-1, 6-2 in the finals.

Maria Cioffi ’16 played a tough match in the finals of the Orange Draw, dropping the first set 6-0. Although Cioffi fought back to win 6-2 in the second, she ultimately lost in a 10-8 supertiebreaker.

“I think as a team we had a solid weekend because we had someone in the finals of every draw, and a lot of the team has made noticeable improvement from the start of the season until now,” Cioffi said.

The Bison also experienced success in the doubles flights. They appeared in the finals of both doubles flights, clinching victory in the Doubles North Draw. The North Draw ended in an all Bison-final, with Cioffi/Urbinati beating teammates Pino/Lydia Colvin ’15 8-4. Fox/Melissa Parks ’17 ultimately lost to Villanova in the finals of the Doubles South Draw.

“After this weekend, I’m really excited about how far we’ve progressed in terms of doubles! We’ve come a long way after struggling to find good chemistry last year as indicated by the doubles final including two Bucknell teams,” Colvin said.

“Performing like this so early really allows us to put more focus on the smaller details that will help make us a better team. There’s no question we have the talent. Now it’s about measuring the desire to work harder on the small things that build championship caliber teams,” Helt said.

The women’s tennis team will finish its fall season with the St. Bonaventure Invitational on Oct. 4-6.

Claudia Silvers

Contributing Writer

The women’s tennis team is off to a strong start in its fall tournament season after winning five of the seven brackets at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational in Emmitsburg, Md. this past weekend.

Though fall tournaments are scored individually, the Bison won two doubles finals and claimed three singles titles at the end of the competition.

“I thought our doubles looked particularly strong for this early in the season. Sending three of our four doubles teams to the semifinals shows just how hard we work on the specifics of doubles,” head coach Rebecca Helt said.

Maria Cioffi ’16/Elena Vidrascu ’14 and Stephanie Pino ’16/Lydia Colvin ’15 won doubles crowns on the final day of the tournament. The Bison also appeared in the finals in four of the five singles flights. Cioffi made it to the final round of Flight A, ultimately losing to Megan Hahn from Loyola (Md.) 1-6, 6-2, 11-9. Flight C ended in an all-Bison final, with Melissa Parks ’17 claiming another close victory in a tiebreaker over Colvin. Jorie Fox ’17 won the singles title against Loyola (Md.) for Flight D, and Pino took victory over Coppin State for another Bison win in Flight E.

“It was a great chance to see all the freshmen in action and to observe how quickly they are picking up new strategies in their individual games,” Helt said.

Vidrascu, one of the two team captains, also noted the success of the first-year players.

“There were a few titles won, two of them being from our freshmen, which is a promising start to our season,” Vidrascu said.

Beginning today, the Bison will host the three-day Bucknell Invitational, the second home tournament of the fall.

Kristen Bishof

Contributing Writer 

The women’s tennis team began the season by reaching the finals in each bracket of its home tournament, the Bucknell Quad, this past weekend. Michele Urbinati ’17 was the only Bison to capture a title, winning the Flight B singles bracket against Loyola (Md.) 6-4, 6-7, (10-2).

Maria Cioffi ’16 also performed strongly in the tournament, making it to the final round of the Flight A singles bracket as well as the final round of the Flight A doubles bracket with her partner and captain Elena Vidrascu ’14. As the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year, Cioffi proved her skill again by winning the first round easily with a 6-4, 6-0 win. In doubles, Cioffi and Vidrascu won a pair of quick matches over Colgate and Loyola (Md.), but were unable to translate their success in the finals against St. Francis (Pa.), losing 8-2.

“I was proud of our performance this weekend with a Bison girl in each of the final rounds. It showed how hard we have been working in practice, especially given the short amount of time we have been back at school. It was a great way to start off the year, and I look forward to the upcoming tournament this weekend,” Lydia Colvin ’15 said. 

Colvin placed second in the Flight C singles bracket and made it to the finals in the Flight B doubles bracket.

Despite the absence of an assistant coach, the team began its tournament season on a high note. Head coach Rebecca Helt added four talented first-years to the roster. The experienced, returning upperclassmen have already demonstrated their leadership skills by showing what it means to be a teammate as well as an athlete.

“I am really proud of how the team came together this weekend after only having a week of practice. Having someone in each final for every flight was a great accomplishment for the team, and I am excited for what is yet to come,” captain Elana Vidrascu ’14 said.

The Bison travel to Maryland this weekend to compete in the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational, hoping to maintain the intensity they brought to the court this past weekend.

Andrew Arnao

Sports Editor

The women’s tennis team finished its regular season with a 5-0 home victory on April 24, topping Bloomsburg in its final tuneup before the Patriot League Tournament this weekend. The match consisted only of singles play, as inclement weather forced the match to be called before the doubles matchups.

The Bison managed to complete five contests and won all five. Elena Vidrascu ’14 started things off by recording a 6-1, 6-0 victory, followed by an easy 6-0, 6-0 decision in favor of Maria Cioffi ’16. Jen Bush ’15 triumphed 6-3, 6-0, while Christie Schneider ’15 and Stephanie Pino ’16 each recorded 6-0, 6-0 sweeps. In the sixth contest, Bloomsburg was leading for the first time all day, but the match was called in the second round and the contest did not factor into the final decision.

The Bison hope their overwhelming play against Bloomsburg will translate into success at the Patriot League Tournament, which begins Friday at 3 p.m. The Bison will travel to West Point and face off against Holy Cross in the quarterfinals. The Orange and the Blue have not played Holy Cross this year, but look to build on their 3-2 conference record as they fight for the Patriot League Championship.

Emily Evancho

Writer

The women’s tennis team dropped the ball in a home match against Army with a 7-0 defeat on April 13 but the Bison bounced back from their upsetting loss by securing a 6-1 victory over Lafayette on April 14 and then hit the road to grab a 5-2 win from Lehigh on April 16.

In the match against Army, the Orange and Blue couldn’t maintain a foothold in their doubles play as all three doubles teams fell to their Army counterparts. The No. 1 doubles team of Maria Cioffi ’16 and Elena Vidrascu ’14 came close to obtaining a triumph for the Bison but couldn’t hold onto its lead, falling with an 8-5 defeat. None of the Bison could pull out a victory in the singles matches, leading the Orange and Blue to defeat.

The Bison swung back from their loss with a swift win over Lafayette. In doubles play, the Orange and Blue lost only one match, with the team of Cioffi/Vidrascu pulling out an 8-5 victory, followed by the team of Sam Madnick ’16 and Stephanie Pino ’16 who secured an 8-2 win. The Bison managed the same turnout in singles play with only one defeat. Cioffi and Pino delivered the best scores for the singles matches, both maintaining 6-0, 6-1 scores. Jen Bush ’15, Christie Schneider ’15 and Elizabeth Morgan ’14 also triumphed in their games.

The team brought an end to its Patriot League regular season by triumphing over Lehigh. In doubles play, the teams of Cioffi/Vidrascu (8-4) and Lydia Colvin ’15/Pino (8-5) won their matches while the Bison only suffered two losses in singles play. First to finish was Pino who set the Orange and Blue off to good start with her 6-1, 6-0 decision. Cioffi clinched the match with a grueling 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 turnout over Lehigh in her singles match. Colvin and Schneider also pulled through with victories.

“It has been a great season and we have enjoyed playing together as a team,” Pino said. “We have played well through some tough matches and some incredible wins. Every team member has contributed to make this a great season. We look forward to ending the season on a high note at the Patriot League Championships.”

The Bison will return home for their next match when they host Bloomsburg on April 24 at 4 p.m.

Emily Evancho

Writer

The women’s tennis team fell to Towson 6-1 on April 4, with Elena Vidrascu ’14 and Maria Cioffi ’16 recording the Bison’s only two victories. The Bison were able to bounce back from this loss with a 4-3 win over Colgate on April 6, their first Patriot League victory of the season.

In doubles against Towson, Cioffi and Vidrascu secured the only doubles triumph for the Bison with an 8-4 win. The Orange and Blue’s other doubles teams were not as successful.  The team of Jen Bush ’15 and Lydia Colvin ’15 swung into a defeat of 8-4, while Sam Madnick ’16 and Stephanie Pino ’16 were also overpowered by their Towson counterparts (8-3).

The Bison had the same turnout in singles matches. Cioffi came close to pulling in a victory for the Orange and Blue, but couldn’t maintain her lead in the super tie-breaker, finishing the match with a 10-5 defeat. Vidrascu brought the team its only victory with a 6-1, 7-6 triumph, helping to prevent a shutout by Towson.

The Orange and Blue refused to be fazed by the loss and came back strong in the next match against Colgate. The doubles teams of Cioffi/Vidrascu and Bush/Elizabeth Morgan ’14 pulled in the doubles points with dual victories while Cioffi and Vidrascu both clinched victories in their singles matches. Pino raked in a two-set tiebreaker and came away with a 6-4, 7-6 victory, clinching the win for the Orange and Blue.

The women’s tennis team will return home this weekend for its next two matches. The Bison will host Army Saturday at noon and Lafayette on April 14 at 10 a.m.

Emily Evancho

Writer

The women’s tennis team struggled through its first-ever loss at Saint Joseph’s on April 2. Stephanie Pino ’16 recorded the only victory in the 6-1 defeat for the Orange and Blue.

The Bison began the match with three defeats in doubles play. The team of Lydia Colvin ’15 and Pino swung the closest to securing a win, but couldn’t stop an 8-4 loss in the No. 2 doubles position.

The Hawks continued their sweep through singles play, receiving five wins over the Orange and Blue. Colvin showed her spirit and gave her opponent a fighting challenge, but ultimately fell in the No. 3 spot with a 7-5, 6-3 decision. Pino was the only Bison to beat a Hawk in the match, ending her singles play with the final scores of 1-6, 6-1, and 6-3. Pino’s success earned a point for the Orange and Blue, but by that time, the outcome of the match had already been decided.

“The tennis team has had a busy spring season filled with some tough matches against some good teams. Overall, we have played well as a team in some close matches that have not always gone our way, but all the players have shown great team spirit and support for one another. We take it one match at a time as we look forward to our next Patriot League match against Colgate on Saturday,” Pino said.

The women’s tennis team will swing back onto the court tomorrow for its next match against Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.

Emily Evancho

Writer

The women’s tennis team battled through a shivering start to their season in Fairfax, Va. on March 22 with a 4-2 win over George Mason. Unfortunately, on the following day in Annapolis, Md. the Bison were unable to pull a repeat performance in their first Patriot League match, falling 7-0 to Navy. On March 27, the ladies hit the court again against Mount St. Mary’s, emerging with a 4-3 victory.

Abbreviated by the cold against George Mason, the Orange and Blue had a tricky task in singles play. Stephanie Pino ’16 was the first Bison to strike victory with a 6-3, 6-4 final score. Lydia Colvin ’15 followed Pino’s lead with her own 6-2, 7-6 win. Maria Cioffi ’16 and Elena Vidrascu ’14 struggled in their matches, splitting sets and ending both their matches with super tie breakers. Cioffi and Vidrascu eventually came out on top with Cioffi securing the match’s decision in favor of the Orange and Blue with her 10-6 victory in her tiebreaker.

The next day’s match against Navy did not end in another victory for the Bison. Vidrascu and Cioffi once again played a key role in the match as the Bison’s only win of the day, an 8-7 triumph in the No. 1 doubles match. Navy took the lead in all singles matches and didn’t allow another Bison win. In singles play, the strongest performance was given by Colvin, who lost 7-5, 6-2 after almost taking the first set.

“We normally have really tight matches against Navy. Everyone played well in their matches but it didn’t come out in our favor. If we had to play them again though, I think we’d have a good chance,” Cioffi said.

The women’s tennis team swung back with a victory against Mount St. Mary’s. After falling behind 2-1, singles wins by Cioffi, Colvin and Pino gave the Bison a small 3-2 lead. As the temperatures on the cold day plummeted, the doubles matches got underway, with the match on the line. Victories by Pino/Colvin (8-1) and Jen Bush ’15/Sam Madnick ’16 (8-3) gave the doubles point and the match to the Bison.

The women’s tennis team will return to the court again on April 2, to play against St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia.

Billy Tyler

Assistant Sports Editor

The women’s tennis team traveled to Quakertown, Pa. to face Hofstra in a close match on Feb. 23. Despite putting up a good fight to recover from a slow start and forcing a sixth singles match, the team was unable to complete the comeback and lost 4-3.

The day did not begin well for the Orange and Blue. They were unable to come up with any points in the day’s doubles matches, losing all three. The Bison then managed to rebound behind strong performances in singles play, including wins by Elena Vidrascu ’14 (6-3, 3-6, 6-4), Maria Cioffi ’16 (6-1, 6-1) and Jen Bush ’15 (6-1, 6-4). The Bison tied up the score at three points apiece following the first five singles matches.

This great comeback forced a sixth singles match to decide the overall match winner. Playing in this match for the Bison was Elizabeth Morgan ’14. Despite a solid performance and good effort, Morgan was unable to secure the victory and fell 6-2, 6-2. This tough loss dropped the team’s season record to 2-4.

The next matches for the women’s tennis team will be on March 11-14 in Humacao, Puerto Rico where the Bison will take on LIU Brooklyn, Old Dominion and Minnesota State.