In its final matches of the fall season, the Michigan women’s tennis team showcased its singles performances at the ASU Thunderbird Tournament and the ITA Fall Nationals.
Six players traveled to Tempe, Arizona for the ASU Thunderbird Tournament — juniors Alyvia Jones and Bella Lorenzini, sophomores Lanie Van Linge and Anca Craciun, senior Lera Patiuk and freshman Nicole Hammond, who played well in the non-scoring affair.
Craciun highlighted the day by going 3-0 in all of her matches, the first of which was against Kansas sophomore Julia Deming — a five-star recruit out of high school.
Another bright spot on the team was Hammond, who has slowly grown into her role as a first year. Over the weekend she went 2-1, a continuation of her stellar fall season so far. She was the only freshman to travel with the team to Arizona, which for some would be a challenge. Instead, Hammond grew into the role naturally.
“She’s doing well,” said Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein. “I think she’s actually raised her level a lot since she got to Michigan. She was focusing in on each point. She’s doing a great job taking care of each point.”
The doubles play told a different story.
The teams of Lommer/Hammond and Cracium/Lorenzini, both lost to their doubles matchups. Also on Friday, the pairing of Linge and Patiuk lost to a pair from California.
“I don’t know if the doubles were where we wanted them to be,” said Bernstein, “but I definitely know what we need to work on with that.”
On the same weekend, three Michigan players qualified for the ITA Fall Nationals at Newport Beach, California — senior Giulia Pairone, freshman Andrea Cerdan, and junior Alyvia Jones who teamed up with Cerdan for a doubles pair.
Pairone and Cerdan both fell in the first round of singles. Cerdan faced eighth-ranked Anna Rogers, a senior from North Carolina State. Each fell into the consolation draw, but couldn’t capitalize and bowed out of the tournament.
The doubles team of Jones and Cerdan proceeded to the consolation bracket after losing in the round of 64. They defeated a team from Louisiana State, but lost in the quarterfinals to the Yale team of Jessie Gong and Samantha Martinelli.
“I think the California event obviously has the best players in the country,” Bernstein said, “so maybe their results weren’t where we wanted them.”
Because this marks the end of the fall season, the focus has shifted towards team competition, which begins in January. While this weekends results weren’t what Bernstein was hoping for, she feels hopeful for the future.
“I think they all competed hard,” Bernstein said, “it’s not so much about the results for us, that’s going to win a lot of matches for us down the road.”