Lyons win 6-1 at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

Cal Smith and Mount Holyoke tennis won 6-1 at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras on March 21, 2024. (RJB Sports file photo)

RIO PIEDRAS, P.R. -- The Mount Holyoke College tennis team completed a 2-0 week while on its spring training trip to Puerto Rico on Thursday, as the Lyons defeated the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 6-1.

With the host Gallitos being an NCAA Division II team, the DI/DII scoring rules applied, with doubles play counting as one point in team scoring.

Mount Holyoke (6-2) clinched the lone doubles point as sophomore Cal Smith (Bridgewater, Mass.) and first-year Rachel Allen (Mary Esther, Fla.) won 6-1 at second doubles. Combined with Rio Piedras' default at third doubles, the Lyons advanced to singles play with a 1-0 lead.

As they did in Tuesday's match at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Mount Holyoke's No. 1 doubles team of junior Annika Chai (London, England) and sophomore Kirat Kaur (Chandigarh, India) both posted dominating victories in singles after suffering a loss in doubles. Chai and Kaur fell 6-2 at first doubles on Thursday, but Chai then won 6-1, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, while Kaur won at No. 2 singles in a 6-1, 6-0 rout.

Sophomore Kate Vavra (Weston, Mass.) defeated Diana Ortiz 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5 singles, while Smith won by retirement at No. 4 singles. Desi Ortiz defeated Allen at No. 3 singles to earn the Gallitos' lone point, as first-year Natali Kostadinovic (Pirot, Serbia) won by default at No. 6 singles.

Mount Holyoke will return home to host Springfield College on Saturday at 12pm in the NEWMAC opener for both teams. The match was relocated from Springfield to Mount Holyoke on Thursday.

Mount Holyoke 6, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 1
March 21, 2024 in Rio Piedras, P.R.

Doubles (1 Point)
1. A. Lebron/C. Colon (PR-RP) def. Annika Chai/Kirat Kaur (MHC) 6-2
2. Cal Smith/Rachel Allen (MHC) def. Desi Ortiz/A. Castro (PR-RP) 6-1
3. Kate Vavra/Kennedy Bagley-Fortner (MHC) win by default

Singles
1. Chai (MHC) def. Lebron (PR-RP) 6-1, 6-4
2. Kaur (MHC) def. Colon (PR-RP) 6-1, 6-0
3. Desi Ortiz (PR-RP) def. Allen (MHC) 6-1, 6-4
4. Smith (MHC) def. Castro (PR-RP) 6-5 (ret.)
5. Vavra (MHC) def. Diana Ortiz (PR-RP) 6-3, 6-3