In their second weekend of the season, women’s tennis improved to a 3-2 record with back-to-back wins against Wagner College and Saint Francis University.

Last Friday’s match against Wagner consisted of firsts of the season for several players, resulting in an astonishing 7-0 win.

Daniela Bellini ’22 returned to the court for the first time this season and proved to be a key competitor for the Bison. Competing in the number one singles spot for the second year in a row, Bellini was victorious over her senior opponent with a 6-2, 6-1 win.  Paige Leavy ’20 and Rachel Carroll ’21 also earned their first wins of the season.  Carroll’s win was arguably one of the most exciting of the day after she made an astounding comeback after trailing 5-1 in the set. The match lasted almost three hours, which ended in a great victory for the Bison. This win marks Carroll’s first dual victory since her first collegiate season.

The Bison saw equal success in doubles. Dax Seidlin ’23 and Leavy teamed up to grab a 6-4 win in the top spot. Sofia Ayuso ’21 and Bellini joined forces for the first time this season to earn a 6-3 win, while Jill Auteri ’20 and Chloe Zilkha ’23 earned a 6-1 victory in the number three doubles slot.

Friday’s momentum continued well into Sunday, where the Bison defeated Saint Francis 6-1 to bring the season’s record to 3-2.  Bellini finished the weekend undefeated after another two wins at 6-2 and 6-4, with the team claiming four of the next five singles matches with wins from Seidlin, Leavy, and Ayuso.  Leavy and Seidlin continued their reign in the doubles with a 6-4 victory, bringing the undefeated duo to a 5-0 record this season.

“As a team and an individual player, we aim to stay focused and stay motivated throughout the rest of the season. It is important to fight hard and give 100 percent each match no matter how you may be feeling psychically and mentally. Across all courts, we boost each other up and keep our energy high,” Carroll said.

The team will return on Feb. 21 and 23 to host La Salle and Marist.