The Hillsdale College women's tennis team got the 2022 portion of its schedule off to a strong start with a convincing victory over a Midwest Regional foe on Sunday.
The Chargers took down visiting Purdue Northwest 6-1, winning eight of the nine contested matches and taking seven of those eight victories in straight sets.
Hillsdale set the tone early in the match by winning all three doubles matches and claiming the doubles point. The No. 1 singles pairing of senior Sarah Hackman and sophomore Wayne St. transfer Melanie Zampardo won 6-3 over the Pride's top pairing, while Hillsdale's veteran No. 2 doubles team of junior Canela Luna and senior Sophia Spinazze won 6-4 and the No. 3 doubles team of freshman Libby McGivern and Julia Wagner took a 6-2 victory.
The Chargers carried that momentum into singles play. Zampardo, in her first action in a Hillsdale uniform after sitting out the fall, earned a 6-1, 6-1 win over PNW's Patricia Dizon at No. 2 singles, and McGivern picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win over the Pride's Nicole Uzcetagui as well at No. 3 singles.
Both Luna (6-1, 6-4 at No. 4 singles) and Spinazze (6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles) also picked up convincing victories as well, while junior Ellie Chawner picked up a hard-fought and well-earned three set victory at No. 6 singles, beating PNW's Mar Vilanova 6-1, 6-7 (2), 10-3 with a strong performance in the third set tiebreak for the Chargers.
Including three duals played in the fall, the Chargers are now 3-1 overall on the season. Hillsdale has another tough test next week when it hosts another Midwest Regional foe and perennial strong program Grand Valley St. on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Photo by Summer Fields