Tennis wins scores 7-2 NEWMAC victory at Emerson

Kate Vavra had a 2-0 day with victories at No. 3 doubles and No. 4 singles in Mount Holyoke's 7-2 NEWMAC win at Emerson College on March 30, 2024. (RJB Sports file photo)

BOSTON -- The Mount Holyoke College tennis team won for the fifth time in its past six matches and rose to 8-3 overall and 2-1 in NEWMAC play on Saturday with a 7-2 victory at Emerson College.

Sophomore Kirat Kaur (Chandigarh, India) defeated Samantha Perry 6-1, 6-3 to capture her sixth consecutive victory at No. 2 singles for the Lyons. Prior to that, Kaur teamed up with junior Annika Chai (London, England) to defeat Perry and Gabby McGovern 8-2 at No. 1 doubles.

Mount Holyoke swept doubles play to seize a 3-0 lead.

Sophomores Kate Vavra (Weston, Mass.) and Kennedy Bagley-Fortner (Montclair, N.J.) also won by an 8-2 score in defeating Sophie Oglensky and Chase Stinson at third doubles. And at second doubles, sophomore Natali Kostadinovic (Pirot, Serbia) made her collegiate doubles debut with sophomore Cal Smith (Bridgewater, Mass.), and they defeated Susie-Jane Wilson and Evlin Walsh 8-3.

Kostadinovic later defeated Amaya Briones 7-6(5), 6-3 at No. 5 singles, rising to 2-1 since moving into Mount Holyoke's singles lineup three matches ago.

Chai defeated Wilson 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, while Vavra won 6-7(3), 6-3, [10-8] over McGovern at No. 4 singles. The host Lions (2-8, 0-4 NEWMAC) earned points at third and sixth singles, with Oglensky defeating Smith in three sets and Walsh defeating Bagley-Fortner 7-6(3), 6-2 at the No. 6 spot.

The Lyons play at Connecticut College on Wednesday at 4pm in their final non-conference match.

Mount Holyoke 7, Emerson 2
March 30, 2024 at Emerson College (Boston, Mass.)

Doubles
1. Annika Chai/Kirat Kaur (MHC) def. Samantha Perry/Gabby McGovern (E) 8-2
2. Cal Smith/Natali Kostadinovic (MHC) def. Susie-Jane Wilson/Evlin Walsh (E) 8-3
3. Kate Vavra/Kennedy Bagley-Fortner (MHC) def. Sophie Oglensky/Chase Stinson (E) 8-2

Singles
1. Chai (MHC) def. Wilson (E) 6-4, 2-6, 6-0
2. Kaur (MHC) def. Perry (E) 6-1, 6-3
3. Oglensky (E) def. Smith (MHC) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3)
4. Vavra (MHC) def. McGovern (E) 6-7(3), 6-3, [10-8]
5. Kostadinovic (MHC) def. Amaya Briones (E) 7-6(5), 6-3
6. Walsh (E) def. Bagley-Fortner (MHC) 7-6(3), 6-2