Haverford, Pa. - The Bryn Mawr tennis team got their 2015 season kicked off earlier this evening with a match at Haverford. After an unkind opening to the spring with bad weather forcing several cancelations, the team was excited to finally kick off their campaign against the Fords. However, even on this day, the teams were forced inside due to rain, where the hosts defeated Bryn Mawr by a score of 8-1. Freshman Alex Acaba got the lone victory of the day for the Owls.
Acaba, playing in the number four singles spot, played a thrilling match against Haverford senior Alyssa Lavin. The Bryn Mawr freshman dominated the first set, winning by a score of 6-2. However, Lavin repaid the favor in the same manner, taking the second by a mirror score of 2-6. That sent the two players to a tiebreaker, where Acaba finally won out in the end with a score of 10-8.
That would be the lone win for the Owls, as Haverford would win every other set played on the day. In number one singles, Melina Koukoutchos fell to Caitlin Gallagher by a score of 2-6, 4-6. Lizzie Siegle dropped a hard-fought match against Haverford's Robyn Himelstein, falling by a score of 3-6, 2-6. In the third singles, Kendall Baller fell to Abby Payson by a score of 1-6, 1-6.
Also in singles, junior Tirsa Delate could not get past Jia-Ling Tuan, falling by a score of 3-6, 2-6. Molly MacDougal closed out the singles matches for the Owls with a tough 2-8 loss to Caroline Steliotes.
In doubles, Siegle and Baller were shutout by the Haverford combo of Hallagher and Himelstein. Acaba and Koukoutchos fell to Payson and Lavin by a score of 2-8, while Delate and Eram Haider dropped a 3-8 decision to Abigail Healy and Steliotes, handing the Fords the 8-1 victory on the day.
The Owls will look to bounce back when they get right back in action tomorrow afternoon. Bryn Mawr will face a non-conference test as they host Goucher College for their first home match of 2015. Be sure to come out and support the Owls as they take on the Gophers tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 PM on campus!
