The Binghamton University women’s tennis team achieved a feat on Sunday that no America East foe of Boston University had ever accomplished. In a rematch of last season’s America East title match, the Bearcats defeated BU 4-3 for the first time in program history and handed the Terriers their first-ever conference loss, dating back to 1989.
These two teams had squared off in six of the last eight America East championship matches, but Sunday marked the first time they had competed in regular season play.
In doubles play, the Terriers swept the Bearcats. Seniors Anna Edelman and Lauren Bates fell to Stefanie Nunic and Vivien Laszloffy at first doubles, 5-8. At second doubles, junior Jillian Santos and senior Yulia Smirnova lost to Leonie-Charlotte Athanasiadis and Jessi Linero, 3-8. Finally, juniors Marina Bykovskaya and Emma Leibowicz were defeated by Monika Mical and Vanessa Steiner by the score of 6-8 in the most highly contested match of the three.
Despite dropping the doubles point, the Bearcats were able to take the match through strong singles play.
Edelman, one of two Bearcats unable to earn a win in singles play, was defeated in the first singles spot in a close three-set match by former America East Rookie of the Year and last season’s AE Player of the Year Stefanie Nunic, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2. Edelman could not break the all-time record for single-season wins (30) set by Zeynep Altinay in this match, which she tied at UMBC on Saturday. At second singles, Bates earned her second-straight win since returning from an injury against Vivien Laszloffy, who retired because of an injury, 6-4, 1-0 (ret.). Smirnova notched a win at third singles over Leonie-Charlotte Athanasiadis despite dropping the first set, winning by a score of 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. Santos cruised to another win at fourth singles over Monika Mical, 6-4, 6-0, and Bykovskaya defeated Jessi Linero at the fifth singles spot in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Leibowicz fell to Amelia Martinez at sixth singles, 6-2, 6-1.
“I’m very pleased for the girls,” said Binghamton head coach Libby McGovern, according to a Binghamton University press release. “They know that this is a good win and that we still have things that we need to work on to reach our ultimate goal for the season. We will continue fine tuning our game plans and focus in practice so that we are prepared to raise our intensity for the rest of the season. Hopefully this win will give us confidence going into the end of our season.”
The important victory over Boston immediately followed a dominant 7-0 win over University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Saturday.
Binghamton swept all three matches in doubles play to earn the doubles point. Second doubles was the tightest of the three matches, with a final score of 8-5. In singles play, Binghamton won in straight sets in first, second, fourth and fifth singles, while third singles ended midway through the second set because of injury retirement by UMBC’s Julia Gragera-Cano. The only match to go three sets was Emma Leibowicz’s match at sixth singles, a match she won 2-6, 6-0, 10-6.
The Bearcats are set to end their regular season this weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday against University of Hartford and Stony Brook University, both taking place at Hartford. They’re scheduled to play Hartford at 9 a.m. and Stony Brook at noon.