WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Mount Holyoke College tennis team officially opened play for the 2022-23 academic year with a strong showing at College of the Holy Cross, with the visiting Lyons falling 5-2 to their Division I hosts.

Sophomore captain Annika Chai (London, England) had a 2-0 day to lead Mount Holyoke. The Lyons' No. 1 singles player teamed up with first-year Jaskirat Kaur (Mohali, India) to defeat Holy Cross's Ahana Nagarkatti and Ashley Zilora 7-5 at No. 1 doubles. Chai proceeded to defeat Nagarkatti with ease at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-1.

Using Division I scoring, with three doubles matches worth one point in the team score, Mount Holyoke took a 1-0 lead into singles play. In addition to Chai and Kaur's victory, first-year Catherine Vavra (Weston, Mass.) and first-year Kennedy Bagley-Fortner's (Montclair, N.J.) scored 6-4 win over Lauren Chilton and Hanna Beck at third doubles. The Lyons nearly pulled off a doubles sweep, as senior Shweta Kiran Cavale (Chennai, India) and first-year Callie Smith (Bridgewater, Mass.) fell 7-5 at the second position.

Holy Cross swept singles matches 2 through 6, with fresh players who hadn't played doubles all winning in straight sets at positions 3 through 6.

Mount Holyoke next competes at the ITA Division III Northeast Regionals, taking place Sept. 23-25 at Williams College.