The Cornell women’s tennis team is preparing for two matches this weekend, aiming to end a three-match losing streak. The team will play against Buffalo on Saturday, February 28 at the Miller Tennis Center and will host Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday, March 1 at the Reis Tennis Center in Ithaca, N.Y.
Cornell is currently ranked No. 69 nationally in the latest ITA poll and holds a 3-5 record for the season. The team recently finished sixth at the ECAC Indoor Championships, which included a 4-3 win over Dartmouth and a close 4-2 loss to Columbia. Other victories this spring have come against St. Bonaventure (7-0) and Niagara (6-1).
Interim Carl H. Meinig ’31 Head Coach of Women’s Tennis Spencer Furman has assembled a lineup that gained experience during a competitive fall season with notable performances at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships and Ivy League Conference Masters events.
Sophomore Sage Loudon (9-9) and junior Michelle Ryndin (6-8) have alternated playing in the top position in the lineup. Junior Victoria Zhao (8-9), sophomore Andrea Martinez de los Rios (10-6), and freshman Dylan Gelber (12-5) are also regular contributors. Martina Marica (3-7), Emma Baker (3-10), and Tanya Fan (5-6) have participated in dual matches throughout the spring.
Buffalo enters the match with a 12-1 record this season, including an undefeated home record of 12-0 ahead of their Friday match against Cleveland State. Esmee Andersen leads Buffalo with a 15-6 overall record, including 9-2 when playing in the top spot. Teammates Maria Glowacka (15-5), Sarah Hartel (15-2), Julia Laspro (14-3), and Sofia Zagumennova (16-1) each have at least 14 wins. Under head coach Kristen Maines, Buffalo has achieved a combined singles record of 101-22 this season. Cornell leads the all-time series against Buffalo 8-3 and has won the last two meetings, including a 4-0 sweep last spring.
Fairleigh Dickinson comes into Sunday’s match with a 3-3 record after winning its last two games, ahead of their non-league matchup at Columbia on Wednesday. Head coach Alex Cole’s team features Anastasia Lim (9-7) and Sophia Fredericks-McKee (14-7) at the top of their lineup. Cornell has won all six previous encounters between these teams, most recently earning a 5-2 victory on March 2, 2014 in Ithaca.
The Cornell Big Red Women’s Tennis program is affiliated with Cornell University and competes in the Ivy League conference according to its official website. The team plays its home matches in Ithaca, N.Y., where it also operates according to official information. A bear serves as the symbol for Cornell University athletics, including women’s tennis as noted by university sources. The program previously secured the New York State championship in 1984 according to historical records.
