The State University of New York at New Paltz women's tennis team will compete for their second consecutive SUNYAC championship this weekend. If victorious, the team will have secured their eighth SUNYAC title in nine years.
First, for the top seeded Hawks have to get past No. 4 seeded Oneonta Friday im the semifinal. The last time the two teams faced was last fall when SUNY New Paltz swept the Red Dragons on a neutral court at West Point, 9-0.
"Going into the conference championships I feel that we are more prepared than any other year," said junior Isabel van der Veen. "We have worked so hard this spring and had quite a rigorous schedule."
SUNY New Paltz (9-8 overall, 7-0 SUNYAC) had a formidable schedule for its spring season, facing teams such as TCNJ, Stevens, and St. Thomas Aquinas, a Division II program.
In the fall, the squad faced tough non-conference competitors, as it matched up against schools like RPI and Skidmore. However, the latter part of the season was successful, as the Hawks went undefeated against SUNYAC opponents, having swept nearly every match in conference play.
"It's been great to play with people so much better than me to help me improve my game," said freshman Olivia Eifert. "Our team dynamic is very encouraging and welcoming, and we're constantly pushing each other to play our best."
This year, most of the team won half or more of their matches in both singles and doubles. Co-captain Loretta Donovan won seven out of her 14 singles matches and went 8-for-14 in doubles matches played, while winning seven at the first position alongside partner Justine Stanjenko. Stanjenko, the reigning SUNYAC Player of the Year, was victories in six of her singles matches and earned a win in seven of 13 doubles matches against top competition, as she played in first position every match.
Co-captain Tatianna Barnett took 8-of-15 singles matches and 7-of-14 doubles matches, most alongside partner Nina Genzone. Genzone took home 6-of-13 doubles matches, five at third and one at second against Hartwick College this spring season.
Onalee Batcheller, fellow co-captain, won the majority of her matches, having gone 7-for-14 in singles and won 8-of-14 doubles matches, one victory with Barnett and the seven others alongside van der Veen in second or first position. Van der Veen herself won two spring singles matches at third position.
"Our coach is pushing us to be the best possible tennis players and I have no doubt we will showcase our skills this weekend," said van der Veen.
"[This] weekend we are just taking it one step at a time and focusing on the player every match to the best of our ability," van der Veen added. "I am really excited to see where this weekend can take us because I think we are peaking at just the right time."
The top-seeded Hawks will face the fourth-seeded Oneonta Red Dragons Friday in the first round, hopeful to move on to the championship the following day. The winner will move on to the championship round Saturday at the Binghamton Tennis Center against the winner of the other semifinal matchup between No. 2 Cortland and No. 3 Geneseo.
SUNY New Paltz's semifinal match against No. 4 Oneonta begins at 1 p.m. at the Binghamton Tennis Center in Binghamton, NY.
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