Prior to a Wednesday match against Adelphi University, New Haven made history as three Chargers became regional champions at an Intercollegiate Tennis Association event. Seniors Karim Carreras and Risako Umekuni, along with junior Valentinna Ferrarini, will advance to the ITA cup later this fall.
On Wednesday, the Chargers traveled to Garden City, New York, to face the Adelphi University Panthers. After three doubles and six singles matches, the Chargers had six overall victories and won the match, 4-3.
The first pair of doubles included Ferrarini and Carreras, who led the way for New Haven as they finished their match, 6-1. Umekuni and partner Victoria Togores competed in the second match and defeated the Panthers, 6-2. The final pair of doubles, freshmen Leni Bischof and Laura Ortner, held a strong fight against Adelphi and won their match, 7-5.
New Haven had a slow start in the singles matches, and lost the first two games. Ferrarini fell short in the first match against the Panthers’ Katarina Liedbeck, and finished the first set, 1-6, and 2-6 in the second set. Carreras faced Adelphi’s Zuzanna Witkowska in the second set but lost 6-2, 6-3, respectively. Umekuni turned around New Haven’s defeat in the third set, and fought her way to the third set which secured the point for the Chargers. Umekuni finished the first set 2-6, 6-4 in the second, and 6-2 in the final set.
Togores had a sweep in the fourth singles, and defeated her opponent Caterina Federici 6-0 in both sets. New Haven faced their third loss of the game after Ortner fell short in the fifth singles match. Panthers’ Sara Lindeman won both sets 6-1. Finishing out the match, sophomore Agustina Ravera competed in the final singles game against Genesis Beltran. Ravera won the first set 6-3, and 6-1 in the second set.
New Haven’s win over Adelphi leaves them 3-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The Chargers will be back in action at 3 p.m. Tuesday to host the Greyhounds of Assumption University. The match will be held at the New Haven Tennis Courts. For more information, visit NewHavenChargers.com.
