UMass Boston’s women’s tennis was once again ranked number one in the Little East Conference preseason poll. That’s twice in the last two years for the Beacons, this year one vote shy of a unanimous selection. Everybody knows who’s in the driver’s seat in the LEC — now it’s just a matter of living up to it.
Saturday, Sept. 7, the Beacons took the court in Plymouth, New Hampshire, to open their season against the Plymouth State University Panthers. Last year, the Panthers lost in the first round of the Little East tournament to the eventual runner-up, UMass Dartmouth, and finished the year 6-7, with a 4-4 conference record.
The Beacons were on upset alert, and both teams were looking to start the new year with a big first win. Sophomore Zainab Patel and grad student Lydia Chan kicked off the first doubles set for the Beacons, sweeping away Chloe Ahern and Tessa LaBarre of Plymouth State 8-0. The Beacons went on to sweep the entire doubles portion of the match.
UMass Boston won six out of eight singles matches. In the fourth singles match, sophomore Sandra Watson crawled back from a steep 5-1 deficit — Watson was unfortunately pulled from the match due to injury. Freshman Tatiana Malone won her first collegiate match in the fifth singles game 6-2, 6-1. UMass Boston went on to win the match 7-2, starting their campaign for an LEC title three-peat with a triumphant victory.
Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Beacons traveled to Milton, Massachusetts, for an out-of-conference matchup against the Curry College Colonels. Curry had been on a three-game losing streak going into this one, scoring no points in each of those games. UMass Boston, now at odds with a highly motivated Colonels team, was desperate for a win.
The Beacons won all three doubles matches yet again. Patel and Chan dominated in their match, winning 8–1. Chan also swept in her singles match 6-0, 6-0. Patel dominated in her singles match as well, winning 6-0, 6-1. Curry picked up their first point of the year when freshman Kaitlyn Foster got the first win of her collegiate career, winning her match 6-3, 6-4.
The Beacons had the best start they could hope for, winning both of their first matches in the young season. UMass Boston returns to Beaconville Tuesday, Sept. 23, where they take on Vermont State University of Castleton.
The Spartans have struggled out of the gate, posting an 0-2 start to their year. UMass Boston took their only matchup with Vermont State a year ago with an 8-1 final score. It’s going to be a tough time for anybody to take out the Beacons this year, especially for a team like the Spartans.
