ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Oneonta women's tennis team defeated city rival Hartwick in the Battle of the Hills, 6-1, Tuesday afternoon at Dr. Heissan '63 Tennis Courts. Oneonta swept the doubles matches for the third straight match this year, then they won five of the six singles courts in straight sets. Juniors
Annika Cripe (Islip, N.Y./Islip),
Taylor Plue (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs), and sophomores
Kiersten Rufrano (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) and
Dakota Jimenez (Poughquag, NY/Arlington) each won their respective doubles and singles matches, as the team improved to a 3-0 start this season and the Hawks dropped to 0-3 overall.
"We're super excited to win the Battle of the Hills after a couple of years of tough matches against the reigning Empire 8 Champions," said Head Coach
Brian Roser. "Winning our third straight doubles sweep gave us great momentum going into singles."
In doubles play, Plue and Rufrano did not drop a game in their match on court two, bageling Autumn Millington and Ciara McManus, 6-0. On court one, Cripe and senior
Haley Peck (West Point, N.Y./James I. O'Neil) stymied Samantha Lantzy and Gianna Leggieri, 6-2, and Jimenez teamed up with sophomore
Ashley Glaviano (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) on court three to beat Sasha Garcia and Jill Ferrie, 6-1. All three Red Dragons duos are now 3-0 to start the year.
Oneonta continued to overwhelm Hartwick in singles play and won five courts. Cripe upended Leggieri on court two in straight 6-2 sets. Plue and Rufrano both recorded a first-set bagel victory in their respective singles win. Plue outplayed Millington on court three, 6-0, 6-3, while Rufrano dismantled McManus on court four, 6-0, 6-1.
Freshman
Reagan Knapp (/) walked away with her second singles win after beating Ferrie on court six in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Jimenez recorded her first singles win of the season on court five against Garcia. The two went back and forth into a tiebreaker in the first set, where Jimenez held Garcia off, 7-5, to take the first set. The sophomore Red Dragon kept the momentum into the second set and ran away with the match for a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1, final.
"A huge congratulations to
Dakota Jimenez (Poughquag, NY/Arlington) on securing her first singles win of the season!" Coach Roser exclaimed.
The Red Dragons are back at Dr. Heissan '63 Tennis Courts for their next match on Tuesday, September 15, when they host Sage at 4 pm.
