ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The SUNY Oneonta women's tennis team opened the 2023-24 season with the Battle of the Hills against cross-city rival Hartwick, Thursday afternoon. The Red Dragons fell to the Hawks in a close 5-4 match, where two singles matches went into third set tie breakers.
Oneonta (0-1) was ahead 2-1 over Hartwick (1-0) following the doubles matches. Senior
Julia Holtermann (Staten Island/Curtis) and sophomore
Danielle Copp (Marcellus/Marcellus) led off the Red Dragons with an 8-3 victory on the No. 2 court over Lily Vanuga and Gianna Leggieri. Seniors
Sophia Schutte (Great Neck/Great Neck) and
Brianna Shaw (Staten Island/Curtis) secured the second win, defeating Phoebe Olson and Jade Killikelly on the No. 1 court, 8-5.
The Hawks gained control of the match with three straight wins in singles' play. On the No. 3 court, Shaw beat Ryann Ashby in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0, to get the Red Dragons back to within one with two matches still in play, freshman
Haley Peck (West Point, N.Y./James I. O'Neil) on the No. 5 court and Schutte on the No. 2 court. Peck took the first set 6-3 over Colleen Marsh before Marsh took set two, 6-1. Marsh was up 4-1 in the third set before Peck won three of the next four games to close the gap, 4-5. During the next game, Peck had an unlucky break when she was ready to return the shot, but the ball hit the net and dribbled on her side, eventually leading to Marsh winning the match and securing the win for the Hawks.
Schutte closed out the night defeating Killikelly. After she dropped the first set, 6-4, Schutte forced a third set with a 6-4 second set win. Schutte overtook Killikelly in the tie breaking set, 6-3.
The Red Dragons return to action Friday for the start of SUNYAC play when they host Plattsburgh Stare at 3 pm.
