By Gigi Speer
This past weekend, the Fordham women’s tennis team made their way up to the ITA Northeast Championships at Yale. The Rams did not have a successful trip, with the majority of the team failing to make it more than two rounds into the tournament.
The Rams had two teams in the doubles draw. Junior Maia Balce and senior Gianna Insogna fell 8-3 in the opening round of 64 to Natasha Irani and Elene Tsokilauri of Boston College. The Rams other duo, sophomore Arina Taluyenko and senior Tatiana Grigoryan, fared a little better, winning their opening round matchup with Army-West Point’s Danna Funmaro and Stephanie Dolehide 8-6. However, the Rams were once again victims to Boston College. Taluyenko and Grigoryan’s success ended in the round of 32, with a loss to second-seeded Boston College’s Jackie Urbinati and Kylie Wilcox.
All four members of the doubles competition for Fordham also played as singles. Most successful was Insogna, who beat Pia Shwarz of Buffalo in the opening round of qualifying singles 3-6, 6-1 and 6-2. Insogna then lost to Rutgers’ Maya Jacobs 6-4, 6-1 in the round of 16.
Insogna was not Jacobs’ only victim; Taluyenko was also bested by Jacobs, in the main singles draw, with a final score of 6-4, 6-2.
“I think I played well, was really close to win in both singles and doubles, but still need to get more confidence from matches,” said Taluyenko.
The Rams’ other two competitors fell in the opening qualifying round, both to Fairfield Stags. Grigoryan lost 6-2, 6-3 to Aina March, while Balce held it close in her first set against Amanda Nowak but eventually lost 7-5, 6-2.
The Ivy League voyage will continue this weekend at the Harvard Invitational in Cambridge, Massachusetts from Oct. 19-22, ending fall play.
