NEW LONDON, N.H. - One year. All it has taken is just one year for the Colby-Sawyer women's tennis team to secure the number one seed in the Conference of New England tournament. A familiar place they have been the last couple of years in the GNAC, will now transition to the CNE.
Season Highlights:
- The Chargers ended the season riding an eight game winning streak, all being against conference opponents.
- The win of the season came against the defending champions over at Nichols College as Colby-Sawyer defeated the undefeated Bison, 5-2. It started with a doubles point thanks to victories at matches 1, and 3. Sky Jara (South Hamilton, Mass.) and Isabella Gutierrez Avendaño (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) would win at doubles 1, while Payton Dugan (Vincennes, Ind.) and Callie Valeri (New London, N.H.) took care of doubles 3. Gutierrez won over on singles 2, while Avery Nielsen (Thornhill, Ontario), Maria Espinosa-Lopez (Merida, Mexico) and Valeri all won singles 4, 5, and 6, respectively to secure four single points for the Chargers.
- The Chargers only loss of the year came in just the second match of the year against Rogers Williams, 4-3. This match could've gone either way, as multiple singles matches went to an extra set before Roger Williams secured the win.
- The Chargers ended the regular season by taking down last years runner up in Endicott on the road, 5-2. Colby-Sawyer took the doubles point at doubles 1 and 3, similarly to the Nichols match before Dugan, Gutierrez, Jara, and Espinosa Lopez all won their matches in singles.
Path to the title:
- The Chargers have locked in the number one seed, meaning they host every match they are in at Kelsey Tennis Courts. The team will get a first round bye, and will await the winner of #4 Roger Williams and #5 Endicott which will be decided October 29th. The semifinal match will be held November 1st at 1PM.
- If the Chargers were to win the semifinal match, they will host the CNE championship on Sunday, November 2nd at 1PM against either #2 Nichols, or #3 Gordon.
Players to Watch Out For:
- Isabella Gutierrez Avendaño went undefeated in singles this year at the two slot with a record of 5-0, as well as a doubles record of 6-1.Â
- Sky Jara would go 6-2 in singles this season. At the two slot, Jara would go 3-0, while at the three slot, she would finish 3-2. In doubles action, she would finish with a 7-1 record.Â
- Payton Dugan would go 7-1 in singles, with all those matches coming at the number one spot. Dugan would go 5-2 in doubles action. Doubles partner Callie Valeri would help secure the 5-2 record with Dugan.
- Avery Nielsen would finish singles action 5-2 overall through spots 3-5. Nielsen would finish 5-2 at doubles as well. Doubles partner Maria Espinosa Lopez would finish 5-2 as well in singles action, while finishing 5-3 in doubles.Â
