In recent years, Skidmore’s tennis teams have been no strangers to success. The women have won a remarkable six consecutive Liberty League titles while the men have won the last three. Yet even with the high expectations that come with being one of the better programs in Division III tennis, it has been another excellent fall season for both squads.
Last Friday, the women soundly defeated Liberty League rival Union 9-0 in their annual match under the lights on their home court. It was a truly dominant performance from the nationally ranked Thoroughbreds, who did not drop a single set in any of the nine matches. The doubles team’s set the tone, as both Madie Benn (Class of ‘17) and Michelle Fuca (Class of ‘18) and the team of Danielle Giannetti (Class of ‘18) and Jessica Ampel (Class of ‘20) notched 8-3 victories. Skidmore carried this momentum into singles play, as Benn, Renee Karchere-Sun (Class of ‘20), and Laura Swenson (Class of ‘19) cruised to 6-0, 6-0 victories.
Another highlight of the fall season was the standout play from a few of the Skidmore women at the USTA/ITA Regional Championships on September 24th-26th. Fuca earned both an All-American nod and a trip to the ITA National Small College Championships in Arizona by winning the Northeast singles title after defeating Sarah Menson of Brockport 6-0, 6-2 in the finals. Despite not being seeded in the top eight before the tournament began, Fuca’s victory in the finals was one of four straight-set wins in her run to the title.
The doubles team of Giannetti and Ampel also had an impressive weekend at the Regional Championships. The pair battled their way to the finals before falling in the championship match. Nonetheless, they were named Liberty League Doubles Performers of the Week for their strong showing.
The men’s team is having another strong season as well. The Thoroughbreds are undefeated in conference play, notching a 9-0 victory over Union in their latest Liberty League match. Kai Yuen Leung (Class of ‘17), Steven Koulouris (Class of ‘18), and Lucas Pickering (Class of ‘18) led the way by winning matches at both singles and doubles.
Like the women, they have had some noteworthy individual performances as well. Leung, who is 6-1 on the season, has earned two Liberty League Singles Performer of the Week honors for his strong performances in both Liberty League play and in the Middlebury Invitational, where he advanced to the Finals. Moreover, J.T. Wynne (Class of ‘20) was named Rookie of the Week after he appeared in the ‘C’ Flight final at Middlebury on September 17th and 18th.
The men will conclude their season with back-to-back tilts against Bates College next weekend at home. The women, meanwhile, will play one last tournament at the Bowdoin Invitational on October 14th and 15th before taking on Bowdoin in a non-conference match to conclude their fall season on the 16th.