UTICA, NY – The Utica University women's tennis team opened its home schedule on Saturday afternoon, welcoming Alfred University to the Utica Tennis Courts for an Empire 8 matchup. Utica battled throughout the afternoon against a strong Saxons squad, with a pair of Pioneers pushing their Saxon counterparts to the brink in singles action.
The Pioneers opened the afternoon with doubles play, with Lyndsey Tiedemann (Salt Point, NY/Franklin D. Roosevelt) and Averi Kraeger (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) taking the No. 1 spot, Hannah Loebbaka (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) and Andrea May (McGraw, NY/McGraw) competing at No. 2, and Hannah Slater (Schenectady, NY/Colonie Central) and Saige Burton (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) rounding out the lineup at No. 3. Tiedemann and Kraeger put together Utica's strongest doubles showing of the afternoon, earning two games against Alfred's Alyssa Seegert and Becca Epping at No. 1 doubles. Slater and Burton also battled at No. 3, earning a game against Alexis Gits and Anastasia Shaw.
Singles play saw the Pioneers continue to battle, highlighted by a strong effort from Loebbaka at No. 3 singles. Loebbaka pushed Alfred's Becca Epping in the opening set, falling by a 7-6 score before the Saxon ultimately secured the match. The close opening set showcased Loebbaka's ability to compete with one of Alfred's top players and provided one of the afternoon's strongest individual performances for Utica. Burton also had a stellar showing in the #5 singles match, taking four games against her opponent.
Tiedemann competed at the top of the lineup at No. 1 singles, while Kraeger, May, and Slater rounded out Utica's singles lineup. Despite Alfred taking each singles decision, the Pioneers continued to fight through each match in their first contest against an Empire 8 opponent.
The Pioneers (0-2, 0-1 Empire 8) will return to action on Wednesday, September 9, when they host SUNY Cortland at the Utica Tennis Courts. First serve is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
