#16 Garnet Blow Past NYU
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- The Garnet women's tennis team hosted NYU at the Mullan Center Saturday in their inaugural match-up of the 2007 spring season. Swarthmore (1-0) etched in their first win with a 7-2 victory over the Violets (3-3)--seniors Sonya Reynolds and Sara Sargent, and freshman Rachel Wallwork led Swarthmore, each reeling in wins in singles and doubles action.
Reynolds, ranked sixth in the Atlantic South region, battled the Violets' Stephanie Tu to a 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 1 singles. Reynolds chased down every shot and forced her opponent to commit innumerable errors. The highlight of the match-up came when she sprinted from the baseline after a tough corner shot to hit a running volley.
Reynolds' doubles play was just as solid, pairing up with Sargent to defeat NYU's Erika Olson and Katie Lee 8-5 at No.1 doubles. Reynolds and Sargent are the second-ranked doubles' pair in the region and earned All-America status after winning the Wilson ITA Southeast Regional in September.
Sargent survived an up-and-down match at No. 4 singles, besting Lee 6-4, 4-6 (10-5).
A heavy forehand and cool composure granted Wallwork a swift 6-0, 6-0 victory in No. 3 singles over NYU's Maggie Smith. Hitting beautiful shots down the line and dishing out forced errors illustrated that she is a force to be reckoned with in her first year. Wallwork teamed up with Waverly Lutz '07 to down NYU's Jaclyn Manning and Bianca Nicoletti 8-1 in No. 3 doubles.
Swarthmore sophomore Jennie Park showed unrelenting effort as she rallied back from a 4-2 deficit in the first set to take the No. 2 singles match 6-4, 7-5 from NYU's Erika Olson--securing the Garnet victory. Jamie Midyette '08 tallied Swarthmore other win, coming back after dropping the first set to defeat Manning 3-6, 6-1 (10-3).
The Garnet will see their next action during Spring Break, traveling to Claremont, Calif. to contest against Claremont College, Carnegie Mellon, and University of the South. Swarthmore will put its 30-match Centennial Conference win streak on the line on Saturday, March 21 at 3:30 p.m. when they travel just around the corner to Bryn Mawr.