The Lady Jays started off the weekend on Friday with a tough loss to Williams’ Ephs. Hopkins won one of three points in doubles play as senior Shannon Herndon and sophomore Ashnaa Rao defeated freshman Julia Cancio and senior Maria Pylypiv of Williams.
“The doubles win against Williams was great for our confidence,” Herndon said. “In practice, we focus a lot on doubles, so it was great to have some of our hard work pay off. My partner Ashnaa and I only started playing together recently, and each match we get stronger and more compatible as a team. We are able to play off of each other’s strengths and are really starting to believe that we can compete with the best doubles teams in the nation.”
As the Jays moved to singles play, Hopkins continued to struggle as Williams won five out of six matches. Junior Sydney Lehman defeated the Ephs’ Raventos 6-4, 6-2, giving Hopkins its only win of singles play.
“I think the loss definitely humbled our team,” Rao said. “We are a great team and have been doing great so far, but the loss, in a way... helped us to realize that we have a lot of our season left and that we have to keep working hard. While it was tough, I definitely think it’s going to make us stronger in the long run.”
The Jays returned to action the next day as they took on the Generals of Washington and Lee University. Hopkins again dropped two of its three doubles matches, losing first and second doubles. Freshman Megumi Chen and sophomore Jody Law earned the Jays’ only doubles point as they defeated Washington and Lee’s senior Kelsey Vella and freshman Michelle Fleenor by a score of 9-8.
The Jays had a little more success with singles’ play as they split the matches 3-3. Lehman defeated the Generals’ sophomore Brooke Donnelly 6-4, 6-2. Sophomore Amanda Austi followed suit as she beat senior Meghan Buell 6-1, 6-1. Chen finished up the scoring for Hopkins as she defeated Washington and Lee’s junior Mary Elizabeth Shutley 6-2, 6-1.
“We have been practicing pretty hard and have been really trying to improve our team in all aspects — doubles and singles — so I think that this work showed a little this past weekend,” Rao said.
The Jays continued to regain momentum as they returned to the court to finish off the weekend against the Ursinus Bears. Hopkins only dropped a total of five games in doubles play and did not lose any sets in singles play. Sophomore Anna Kankala and her partner, senior Macie Wilkins, lost only one game as they defeated their Ursinus opponents 8-1.
The Hopkins team continued its scoring as senior Stephanie Rettig and junior Olivia Kasten won their match in the same 8-1 fashion. Freshman Caroline Greydak and sophomore Amanda Soo Ping Chow finished off doubles scoring as they won their match with a score of 8-3.
In singles play, Rettig gave Hopkins its first singles points as she defeated Nguyen 6-2, 6-1. Vohra continued the singles scoring for Hopkins as she won 6-4, 6-3, over the Bears’ Whitebloom.
“I just give my 100 percent for every match and practice and try my best to win for the team,” Vohra said. “When we played Ursinus, it was very windy, and I had to adjust my game, but I hung in there. It probably wasn’t my best match — technically — but mostly it was about determination.”
Kankanala followed with a 6-4, 6-2, win against Cromwell, and the Jays’ Greydak defeated the Bears’ Bashaw 6-3, 6-3. Kasten completed the Hopkins scoring as she won the last singles match of the day with a score of 6-1, 6-1.
“I want to keep working hard and improving my game and hopefully win some bigger and better matches for JHU,” Vohra said. “I would definitely like to compete at NCAAs.”
Hopkins returns to action on Saturday when they take on Washington College and Towson University.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The News-Letter.