Cresson, Pa. -- The Mount Aloysius women's tennis program earned a commanding 6-1 win over the La Roche Redhawks on Friday, Sept. 20, before falling 2-5 to Penn State Altoona on Sunday, Sept. 22. 

La Roche

The Mounties would start the day with struggles at one doubles, finding difficulty controlling the net and holding serve. Despite the 2-6 loss at the top spot, the Mounties would drop just one combined game at two and three doubles to capture the point. Holding a 1-0 lead going into singles, the Mountie women sought to extend their lead, with sophomore Caylie Conlon (New Paris, PA, Chestnut Ridge) bouncing back from the doubles loss to chip-and-charge her way to a 6-2 6-0 win at one singles. Sophomore Lauryn Kitchen (Clearfield, PA, Clearfield) would also find success at the net, approaching to her opponent's backhand en route to a 6-2 6-2 victory. Despite a loss at two singles, the Mountie women would drop just three games while capturing the four, five, and six spots, leaving Pittsburgh with a 6-1 team victory. 

Penn State Altoona

Doubles struggles would plague the Mounties throughout the lineup from the onset, as each flight would struggle to read the Lions' passing shots and lob game. Facing a predominately two-back formation, Conlon and partner Julia Davis (Mount Pleasant, PA, Southmoreland ) looked to maintain steady net presence at the top flight, but found put-away opportunities hard to come by against the visitors' defense. Although chances would appear to level the score, the Mounties would fall 4-6 at one doubles, with two doubles suffering the same scoreline. 

Singles would hold two marathon matches for the Mounties, with Conlon and Kitchen both engaging in three set affairs. While Kitchen would capture the first set dictating with her backhand, Altoona would up their aggression, attacking the host's serve and continually approaching the net to take a 5-0 lead in the second. Finding pass opportunities and upping her first serve percentage, Kitchen would win the next three games before dropping the set in a tight break. Carrying momentum despite the set loss, Kitchen would hold steady, giving up few errors and forcing tough looks at her opponent as she took the match for the Mounties 10-4 in the third. 

The aggression of the three singles match was nowhere to be seen at one singles, with Conlon's attacking strategy in the first set punished with a 2-6 loss. Looking for better consistency and movement, Conlon would slow her pace, chasing down drop shots from Altoona to eek out a 7-5 second set. Committing to the strategy in the tiebreak, Conlon would prove more consistent than her opponent, earning the 10-6 win for the hosts. 

Up Next

Mount Aloysius women's tennis continues conference play on Saturday, Sept. 28 against the Carlow Celtics. Carlow enters the contest 0-4 overall, coming off a 2-5 loss to Pitt-Greensburg.