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Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coastal Conference) downed Cornell (0-1, 0-0 Ivy League) 6-1 in its season opener Wednesday. The Orange won 5-of-6 singles matches and swept the Big Red in doubles en route to a dominating victory.

SU started the match on a strong note, as No. 1 doubles team Anastasia Sysoeva and Miyuka Kimoto notched a 6-2 victory over Cornell’s Jenny Wong and Sage Loudon. Despite a close start, Syracuse pulled away late, culminating in a four-point win.

Carrying on the Orange’s hot start to the day, No. 2 doubles team Monika Wojcik and Nelly Knezkova corralled a 6-3 win. This match also marked Wojcik’s, a freshman, first victory as a member of the Orange.

Rounding out doubles play, No. 3 team Serafima Shastova and Shiori Ito narrowly defeated Cornell’s Seychelle Balog and Alexandra Savu, 7-5. After SU jumped out to a 4-1 lead, the Big Red came storming back, knotting the game 5-5 before the Orange ultimately prevailed.

“We call the doubles a bit of a sprint and the singles a marathon,” Limam said. “So we needed to be ready for both.”

Following a brief intermission, Syracuse returned to action for singles play. No. 1 Kimoto faced Cornell sophomore Michelle Ryndin, winning 6-2 and 7-6. Then, No. 2 Knezkova defeated Loudon in two sets, 6-1 and 6-3. While the Orange suffered their first loss in No. 3 singles, No. 4 Ito bounced back with 6-3 and 6-2 wins over Wong.

Sophomore Constance Levivier then stole the show against Savu in No. 5 singles, as her 4-1 start in the first set propelled her to victory, 6-2 and 6-1. Finally, SU freshman Wojcik got her first taste of collegiate singles action as she squared off against Cornell’s Tanya Fan in the No. 6 matchup. Even though Syracuse’s freshman found herself in a highly competitive match early on, she found her rhythm late, resulting in a 6-4, 6-3 win.

“I think you guys could hear Wojcik a little bit; she’s very feisty and plays with a lot of emotions,” Limam said regarding Wojcik’s energy and performance. “We are very pleased with how she managed both matches, as it’s never easy to come into your first collegiate match.”

Off the heels of a promising start to the Spring 2025 campaign, Syracuse looks to start 2-0 for the fourth consecutive year as it hosts James Madison on Saturday at 11 a.m. The Dukes have started just 0-3 this season, giving the Orange a prime opportunity to rack up back-to-back wins to start the spring.

Published on January 22, 2025 at 10:52 pm

sabrod@syr.edu