Women’s Tennis: On a roll after a tough start to the regular reason

Gasner Delvarin Jr. | Writer

Cameron Priester, Sports Editor

March 15, 2023

FAU women’s tennis (8-10, 0-1 C-USA) confidence level is rising every game. 

After starting the season with only three victories in two months, the Owls have already doubled that winning on March 14, by dropping Wichita State University (WSU) 6-1 to an overall 7-6 in their season. The FAU women’s tennis team climbed back to an overall 8-10 from their previous win on Jan. 14, against Miami University 4-3, and University of North Florida 5-2, and with the only victory on Feb. 3, in Tucson, Ariz., over Northern Arizona University 4-3. 

 “The girls are really starting to pick it up. We have tough teams coming up, so we have got to stay sharp. We are excited for the next challenge,” said the FAU’s director of tennis, Ricardo Gonzalez after the Owls’ 6-1 victory over Long Island University on March 6.

The team has shown some resilience as of late, winning five of their last six games. The one loss in that stretch of matches came against Colorado State University, in a 3-4 defeat that ultimately came down to the wire on court 3 where Katerina Filip, FAU senior, found herself in a back-and-forth battle. 

The game on the line tied at 3-3, eyes were on court three, and both sides cheered on for their teams. Filip gave her all in the singles but fell 6-3, 4-6, and 6-7 in the third set after five deuces.

“It was tough for me to lose such a close match, but hopefully, next time, I can do better,” said Filip. 

Following that loss, Filip quickly bounced back. She crushed her next opponents from Virginia Commonwealth University on court three 6-0, 6-1 on Sunday, March 12, and on Tuesday, March 14, on court two 6-0, 3-6, 10-4. 

Some have been on personal singles winning streak for the team. Victoria Gomez O'Hayon, who joined the Owls in January 2023,  has won the last six singles matches. She brings her singles record to 10-6 of the ongoing season, a 63% winning while Millie-Mae Matthews, whose streak currently at four started on March 7, has a personal singles record of 15-7 for the 2022-2023 season.    

The Owls are back on a two-game-winning string after dropping WSU and are looking for a third straight victory this Friday, March 17. Only three games remaining in the regular season, and the Owls are facing two tough teams currently above .500 down the stretch; the University Of Maryland/College Park which has a winning record of 10-3, and Florida International University which won their two conference games and with a current record of 10-3 (10-3, 2-0 C-USA). 

 The team is looking to take on the next opponent Columbia University on March 17, 10 a.m. at the Kimberly V. Strauss Tennis Center in Boca Raton, Fla.

Gasner Delvarin Jr. is a photojournalist. For more information regarding this or other stories email gdelvarinjr2017@gmail.com

FAU Women Tennis Millie-Mae Matthews Katerina Filip Ricardo Gonzalez Victoria Gomez O'Hayon Sports Gasner Delvarin Jr.