Tennis swats away Simmons in 9-0 victory

Cal Smith and Mount Holyoke tennis romped 9-0 past Simmons University on Sept. 30, 2023. (RJB Sports file photo)
Cal Smith and Mount Holyoke tennis romped 9-0 past Simmons University on Sept. 30, 2023. (RJB Sports file photo)

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The Mount Holyoke College tennis team dominated visiting Simmons University on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Sharks 9-0 and losing only three games in total in singles play.

Junior captain Annika Chai (London, England) and sophoomore Kirat Kaur (Mohali, India) won 8-0 at No. 1 doubles, as did sophomore captain Cal Smith (Bridgewater, Mass.) and first-year Rachel Allen (Mary Esther, Fla.) at No. 2 doubles. Sophomore duo Kate Vavra (Weston, Mass.) and Kennedy Bagley-Fortner (Montclair, N.J.) won 8-5 at No. 3 doubles to give the Lyons a 3-0 lead heading into singles play.

Three Mount Holyoke players won their singles matches by 6-0, 6-0 scores: Kaur at No. 2, Smith at No. 4, and Vavra at No. 5. Chai, Allen, and Bagley-Fortner each allowed just one game to their opponents apiece, at first, third, and sixth singles, respectively.

Mount Holyoke (2-1) will next play in the New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament (NEWITT), co-hosted by the Lyons and Smith College next weekend, Oct. 6-8. Simmons will play at Albertus Magnus Sunday at 2pm.