It feels like it was just a couple weeks ago that we got to the Hill. However, it’s already sweatshirt weather and fall break is just one week away. While most students associate the first couple weeks of October with midterms, others know that it is also the end of the fall season for some sports. Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams have wrapped up their seasons. The men’s team had their last competition this past weekend (Oct. 1), and the women finished their fall season the weekend before (Sept. 22). While the Continentals’ fall tennis season is much shorter than the spring season, it is still very important.
This fall season was very unique and full of growth. Both teams were lead by interim head coach and squash coach, Jamie King. The teams are full of youth and inexperience. The men’s team has eight first-year players out of a roster of 16, including only two seniors. Exactly half of the women’s team is comprised of first-year players. There is even less experience on the women’s team, as there are no seniors and only two juniors on the roster. Even with all of this, it was a very successful fall season for the Continental’s tennis teams.
The men’s team played in four events this fall. The fall season is shorter than the spring, but still important. Men’s team member Sam Farber ’20 said, “our goals were to train and try to represent Hamilton as best as we could in the individual tournaments and to get the experience we need to perform well in the spring.”
The team did wonderfully in their first competition. The Continentals reached the finals in three events at the St. Lawrence Fall Classic. Max Zimmerman ’21 dominated in his first weekend of collegiate competition. Zimmerman reached the finals of the “B” division of singles. Fellow first year Jafar Sharipov ’21 advanced to the finals of the “C” singles division. The Continentals had a great showing in the Men’s “A” division for doubles. The Continentals had two teams and both pairs reached the semifinal. Unfortunately, the way the bracket worked, they faced off against each other. Lars Scannell ’19 and Sam Farber ’20 used their experience to beat first years Tim Derby ’21 and Rob Dotterer ’21. Unfortunately, Scannell and Farber lost in the finals to a team from Hobart and William Smith College. The following weekend at the Dutchmen Invitational, three Continentals won singles titles. Zimmerman ’21, Scannell ’19, and Andrew Wei ’20 all came in first place of their respective divisions. The Continentals finished second in the “A” division of doubles. The team won two more singles titles at Middlebury’s Tournament the next weekend. This past weekend the team wrapped up their fall season with the ITA Northeast Regional Championship at Skidmore. Every Continental advanced to the second round of individual competition. Unfortunately, no one made it beyond the second round. When asked about the team’s goals for the spring season, Farber said, “the goal for the spring season is to train as much as possible so we can have an edge against the other tough NESCAC teams.”
The women’s team had three events for their fall season. The first event was the Mary Hosking Invitational at William Smith College. First years Sophia Aulicino ’21, Audrey Chor ’21, and Ajla Karabegovic ’21 all had very impressive weekends. All three reached the finals of their singles division. Aulicino ’21 and Chor ’21 made it to the finals of the “A” division. Their teammates decided to not play the match and were declared co-champions. The following weekend the Continentals competed at the Canton Classic. Aulicino ’21 continued to dominate. She won all three of her singles matches. The women’s team wrapped up their fall season competing at the ITA Northeast Regional Championship. Chor ’21 won her first round of the singles competition. She teamed up with Karabegovic ’21 to win the first round of doubles. Unfortunately, no Continental made it past the second round.
Looking ahead to the spring season, team leader Jane Haffer ’19 said, “we are really looking forward to our spring break trip. It is always a fun way to kick off the spring season and get us mentally and physically in shape. We are all incredibly proud of our freshmen stepping up in the face of adversity.”
Both the men’s and women’s teams open up their spring seasons’ on March 10. They will have six competitions against NESCAC rivals. The tennis teams will relish the opportunity to compete at home this upcoming spring, where the team will use the newly constructed tennis courts on campus to thrive in training as well as on match day.
