By Chris Spiker
Staff Writer
The men’s and women’s tennis teams lost to Youngstown State, 7-0, Friday. Both teams host Siena Sunday with matches starting at noon.
Siena’s men travel to Olean after losing their spring opener Sunday at Colgate, 7-0. Freshman George Parkhurst won the only set for the Saints, losing in sixth singles, 6-1, 6-7 (8-6), 10-8. Senior Dylan Roberts and sophomore Matthew Funiciello forced a tiebreaker in third doubles before losing, 8-7 (6).
Coach Michael Bates said he wants the men (3-7, 0-1) to increase their intensity in their last eight regular season matches.
“We’ve got to start picking it up if we want to do well going into A-10s,” Bates said.
Siena’s women (0-4) visit the Bonnies after losing Saturday at Albany, 4-3, and Sunday at Colgate, 6-1. Senior Brittany Filip leads the Saints with a 1-3 singles record, winning in first singles against Colgate, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Filip and senior Elora Benfer lead the Saints with a 1-2 doubles record, winning in third doubles against Albany, 8-5.
Bates said the women (2-11, 0-2) need to play more consistently.
“We can’t take anyone for granted,” he said. “We’ve got to come out and play right away.”
Senior Luis Guevara won the only set for the Bonnies in Friday’s shutout loss. Guevara forced a three-set tiebreaker before losing in third singles, 2-6, 6-4, 12-10. Bates said he enjoyed Guevara’s strong performance, but wants him to close out matches.
“When he gets the match points, he’s got to finish them,” Bates said.
Juniors Elliot Fanshel and Javier Ortiz earned the Bonnies’ only win, prevailing in second doubles, 8-6. Fanshel and Ortiz have won three of their last five doubles matches.
“They’re starting to know where each other is moving,” Bates said. “The more times you play with someone, the more comfortable you get with them.”
Freshman Gabriel Cardenas said despite the tough start to the season, the men train and play well together.
“We’re closer to each other and that helps in the matches, especially in doubles,” Cardenas said.
Sophomore Trevor Haskell said that the entire lineup must play more consistently. Haskell usually plays fifth or sixth singles for the Bonnies.
“The bottom of our line-up has to win more,” Haskell said.
The women lost five singles matches in straight sets and forfeited in sixth singles Friday. Bates said the women played well against tough competition.
“I thought we did all right in spots, but they were physically a better team,” Bates said.
Sophomore Fatya Amiri and freshman Jillian Hammell were the only Bonnies to win games in both sets in singles. Amiri lost in first singles, 6-2, 6-4 and Hammell lost in fifth singles, 6-1, 6-3. Bates said Hammell’s close match shows her improvement this season.
“She’s playing more consistent and frustrated (her opponent) a little bit,” Bates said.
Siena plays Bona’s after a challenging stretch for the men and women. The men lost six of their last seven and the women lost nine straight. Cardenas believes both teams’ hard work will pay off on Sunday.
“This is an opportunity to show that we have to work hard even when we lose,” Cardenas said.
