Women’s tennis serves up strong start

Kevin Wang, Contributing Reporter

The women’s tennis team had a successful opening of this fall season at the Oberlin College Invitational. This tournament spanned the course of Sept. 12-14 at the Don Hunsinger Tennis Courts in Oberlin College, where the Spartans faced off against teams from schools around the state and nearby states.

For singles play, five members of the team went undefeated. Captain Marianne Bonanno, who was recently nominated as the University Athletic Association Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, defeated Ohio Wesleyan’s Adrienne D’Alewyn 6-2, 6-1, Oberlin’s Grace Porter 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 and Denison’s Heather Abzug 6-0, 6-2.

Surya Khadilkar won all of her matches in straight sets, defeating Denison’s Maddie Boster 6-0, 6-2, Ohio Wesleyan’s Adrienne D’Alewyn, 6-0, 6-1, and Ohio Northern University’s Taryn Stromback 6-3, 6-2. In addition, Bonanno and Khadilkar paired to form a doubles team and were undefeated, winning three matches against Denison University, Ohio Northern University and Oberlin College.

Nithya Kanagasegar and Sara Zargham were both undefeated, going 2-0 in singles, while also pairing as an undefeated doubles team, winning matches against teams from Denison University and Ohio Wesleyan University. Kanagasegar won her three matches over Otterbein’s Sammi Kruger, 6-2, 6-1, Ohio Northern’s Meghan Letizia 6-2, 6-1 and Ohio Wesleyan’s Adrienne D’Alewyn, 6-1, 6-0. Zargham won matches against Denison’s Meg Chiumento, 6-3, 6-0, Otterbein’s Sammi Kruger, 6-1, 6-4 and Denison’s Emily Holloway, 6-0, 4-6, 11-9.

Michelle Djohan also went undefeated in singles play, winning over Oberlin’s Mayada Audeh, 6-1, 6-2 and Denison’s Maddie Boster, 6-0, 6-2. In addition to her undefeated singles play, Djohan also paired with Sarah Berchuck and won two doubles matches against Oberlin College and Ohio Northern University.

Overall, the Spartans went 37-8 at the Oberlin College Invitational. They will continue their season at the USTA/ITA Central Region Championship in Kalamazoo, Mich. on Sept. 19-21 and then travel to Middlebury, Vt. to play at the Middlebury Invite on Oct. 4-5. Their first home game will be against Oberlin College at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11.