The Oswego State women’s tennis team closed its season with a win over the Utica College Pioneers last Sunday as it took all nine sets in the contest. Bridget Bender, Haru Kobayashi and Samantha Spence each blanked their opponents in singles. Lorrayne Broach won her first set in a tight one and then cruised away with a four-game victory in a decisive set. Eliza Johnson took care of her business in the fourth singles match, allowing four games against her opponent, Christa Pham.
“I felt very relaxed out there,” Bender said. “Throughout most of my match, I kept my composure, and once I figured my opponent’s strategy on where she was hitting the ball, I just start coming out in attack mode and test her back hand. Once I saw that was working, I was doing that until she was able to make [the necessary] adjustments.”
With this win, Oswego State finishes the season with an overall record of 4-7, including two wins in the SUNYAC. The losing record and only two wins in conference play was not enough for the Lakers to advance into the SUNYAC playoffs.
The Lakers started off 1-1, as they lost close matchup to Elmira College that came down to the final set point of the match and swept Elmira in all nine sets in that contest. The Lakers would then struggle in the mid-way point, losing six straight matches. Five of those matchups were against SUNYAC teams, which included SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY New Paltz, Plattsburgh State and SUNY Fredonia.
“It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to win a lot of matches in our conference,” head coach Shane Evans said. “We’re a team that has a lot of talent and heart, but we were just unable to finish matches. Even though it looks like in some of our matches we got swept, but a lot of those matches had to come down to the final set for some of our players.”
One of those players was Broach, who has been leading the charge for the Lakers.
“It’s tough, but I’m proud of our girls for what they’ve been doing,” Broach said. “Day in and day out, these girls work very hard, and they always strive to reach their potential. That’s all you can really ask for.”
The Lakers will now rest up for the spring. They are currently back on the court for nontraditional games. All these games will not count for Oswego State or on Shane Evans’ résumé, but it is a good way to get ready for the 2019 season.
“I still have a lot of trust in our team moving forward,” Evans said. “I believe we’re going to see a better team in the springtime and we’re going to make a lot of noise. Even though the games don’t count, it will set the tone for the 2019 season.”
From a player’s standpoint, the best thing to do in the offseason is just keep grinding.
“In the winter, we’re going to have to bond with one another and push ourselves,” Broach said. “When we have the opportunity to work out and get some swings in the field house, we’re going to be taking advantage of that as much as possible. That is what is going to make us a better team.”
The nontraditional schedule has not been released yet for the Lakers, but they will be back on the court starting in March.
Graphic by Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian
