Playing on an oppressively hot fall day on the roof of Columbia University’s tennis facility, the Hofstra University women’s tennis team opened the Columbia Invitational with mixed results on Friday, Sept. 13.

With the sun seemingly at its peak, so were Wagner College’s Jade Schoenfeld and Jasmine Lin as they faced Hofstra’s Megan Maragliano and Mary Madigan. The Pride started hot, taking the first few points nearly without resistance.

At one moment in the match, it seemed that the points relied on Madigan and Lin, as the ball seemed to move solely between their two lightning-speed serves and offensive and defensive work. Their partners only chipped in later, but the effort led to a loss for the Pride.

Now spread over the full six courts, the singles matches started. Lea Forste-Dinell’s monstrous forehand kept her in the match, but it was her tracking ability for an in-or-out ball that was the difference maker before the first breeze was felt in the late afternoon. She was the only member of the Pride to win a singles match, dominating 6-1, 6-4 over Wagner’s Daniela Hernandez.

Amanda Kadiri kept her cool against Wagner’s Victoria Madail, one of the most verbal and expressive players on the court, despite trailing Kadiri for the first set. The second set was a different story, with Madail winning 2-6, 6-4, 10-3.

On Saturday, Sept. 14, the University of Indiana completely swept the Pride, beating them in all doubles and singles matches that afternoon. Forste-Dinell had the closest match out of all her teammates, taking Marina Fuduric to three sets after taking the first one, ultimately losing 4-6, 7-5, 11-9.

Sunday, Sept. 15, was a repeat of Saturday to wrap up the Invitational, except the opponent was cross-island rival, Stony Brook University. The only player to take a set from the Seawolves was Kaitlyn Ferguson before falling to Cornelia Bruu-Syversen, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 10-8.

Across the courts, it sounded like a game of Marco Polo with how often one player would yell “Go Pride” after winning a point, and someone on one of the other courts would echo the same after finishing their point, win or lose. Despite not being a team sport, it very much sounded like one.

The next time the women’s team picks up their racquets is on Friday, Sept. 27, to open the, through Sunday, Sept. 29.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco