Bird's Eye View: 2019 Women's Tennis

After reaching the postseason for the second consecutive year in 2018, Fisher was poised to take it a step further as the 2019 season drew nearer.

With nearly everyone set to return, head coach Linda Gohagan boasted a talented and experienced lineup that few in the Empire 8 could match.  After winning the conference's Regular Season title for the first time in program history, Fisher continued to forge ahead into uncharted waters after sweeping  rival Nazareth College in the Empire 8 Championship to secure the team's first-ever conference crown.

Here are the top moments from Fisher’s season:

Women's Tennis Hopeful as 2019 Season Set to Get Underway on Saturday

The St. John Fisher College women's tennis team is back in action on Saturday as Fisher looks to carry over its successes from last season where it made its second straight appearance in the Empire 8 Championship.

Head coach Linda Gohagan will have an experienced lineup along with several talented newcomers to the 2019 roster as the Cardinals look to build upon back-to-back seasons with nine wins.

Junior Kaili Saffran returns to the fold after the Webster native was named First-Team All-Conference for the second straight year in singles play.  Saffran, who was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in 2017, owned an 8-1 mark during the 2018 regular season in singles play and earned five of those wins against Empire 8 competition.  Saffran, who won all eight of her matches in straight sets during the fall, carried a five-match winning streak to begin the season and wrapped up the regular season schedule with three consecutive wins.

A Second-Team All-Conference selection in singles play last season, sophomore Mikayla Santulli is also back for another year after the Central Square native posted a 6-1 mark in singles play in 2018. 

Two more All-Conference honorees will round out the lineup for Gohagan as Cassidy Bell and Zuzanna Pociecha each earned an Honorable Mention All-Empire 8 nod following the 2018 campaign.  Bell, who earned All-Conference honors in each of the last two seasons and was often matched at second singles, went 5-4 on the season including a three-set thriller against Alfred where the Pittsford native won 8-6, 2-6, 6-4.  Pociecha won seven of her nine matches in singles play with each coming in straight sets.  She sprinted out of the gates with five consecutive wins to begin the year. 

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Women's Tennis Cruises Past Hartwick in Empire 8 Opener

The St. John Fisher College women's tennis team kept its momentum going as the Cardinals picked up a 9-0 win over Hartwick College on Saturday in the team's Empire 8 opener at Mendon Racquet and Pool Club.  With the win, Fisher, which has now posted back-to-back wins, improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference while the Hawks dipped to 1-5 on the season and 0-1 in the conference standings. 

In singles play, Kaili Saffran came out ahead in the match's first flight behind a 6-3, 6-1 performance while Cassidy Bell was a winner at second singles, 6-0, 6-1.  Freshman Cydney Bell won her third singles pairing by a score of 6-3, 6-1 while Zuzanna Pociecha bested her opponent at fourth singles, 6-1, 6-0.  The Cardinals rounded out singles play as Valerie Morgans (6-0,6-0) and Amanda Thongsirimonghoun (6-2, 6-1) each picked up a point.

In doubles play, Saffran and Ca. Bell posted an 8-4 decision at first doubles while Pociecha and Veronika Jurczuk came out on top, 8-1, at second doubles.  In the third and final doubles pairing, Morgans and Cy. Bell did not yield a game to win 8-0.

Women's Tennis Moves to 2-0 in Empire 8 Following Win at Utica

The St. John Fisher College women's tennis team improved to 2-0 in the Empire 8 standings behind a 7-2 decision at Utica College on Wednesday.  With the win, Fisher climbed to 3-2 on the season while the Pioneers closed out the day at 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Kaili Saffran won her fourth consecutive point at first singles after the Webster native held a 3-0 lead before an injury forced her opponent to retire. 

Junior Cassidy Bell followed suit with a win of her own at second singles as the Pittsford native earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory.  Like Saffran, Bell has been nearly impossible to defeat in the early portion of the season with four consecutive wins in singles play.

Fisher would pick up two more flights as the match progressed with Zuzanna Pociecha and Jacqueline Chouinard coming out ahead in fourth and sixth singles, respectively.  Chouinard needed three games to best her opponent before taking the flight, 7-6, 4-6, 11-9.

In doubles play, Saffran and Bell teamed up in the first flight for an 8-2 win while Pociecha and Veronika Jurczuk overpowered their counterparts, 8-1.  The Cardinals completed the sweep in doubles action behind an 8-5 triumph by Cydney Bell and Valerie Morgans.

Women's Tennis Bests Nazareth to Remain in First Place in the Empire 8

For the first time in nearly two decades, the St. John Fisher College women's tennis team was triumphant against its East Avenue rival, Nazareth College, as the Cardinals defeated the Golden Flyers, 6-3, on Wednesday afternoon at the Mendon Racquet and Pool Club.  With the win, Fisher, which sits atop the Empire 8 standings, improved to 5-3 overall and 4-0 in the conference while the Golden Flyers slipped to 3-3, 3-1, respectively.

The Cardinals got off on the right foot with senior Kaili Saffran earning a critical point at first singles behind a 6-3, 6-1 performance.  Fisher would post a hard-fought win at fourth singles with Cydney Bell holding on for a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 decision while Valerie Morgans was a winner at fifth singles, 6-4, 6-4.  Jacqueline Chouinard's win at sixth singles gave Fisher four points in the match as she defeated her opponent in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

Fisher carried its momentum into doubles play with Veronika Jurczuk and Mikayla Santulli pairing up for an 8-6 decision at second singles in what turned out to be the deciding point of the match.  Fisher tacked on another point at third doubles behind Chouinard and Morgan's 8-2 victory.

Women's Tennis Celebrates Senior Day with 8-1 Drubbing of Alfred

The St. John Fisher College women's tennis team clinched a spot in the upcoming Empire 8 Championship after defeating Alfred University, 8-1, in an Empire 8 conference matchup at Mendon Pool and Racquet Club.  With the win, Fisher, which can finish no lower than the second seed in the championship, improved to 6-3 on the year and 5-0 in the Empire 8 standings while the Saxons fell to 2-9 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

The win had added meaning as the team celebrated senior day and honored its lone senior Kaili Saffran.  The former Empire 8 Rookie of the Year continued to dominate at first singles as she won, 6-1, 6-1.  Mikayla Santulli returned to singles play with a 6-1, 6-2 decision in the Cardinals' third flight while Cydney Bell picked up a hard-fought point at fourth singles with a 7-5, 3-6, 10-5 triumph. 

Amanda Thongsirimonghoun pulled out a 6-1, 6-2 win at fifth singles before Jacqueline Chouinard fought off her opponent at sixth singles, 6-1, 6-3.

The Cardinals' momentum continued in doubles play as head coach Linda Gohagan's squad swept all three points.  At first doubles, Saffran paired with Cassidy Bell for an 8-3 win before Santulli and Zuzanna Pociecha beat their opposition, 8-2.  Chouinard and Valerie Morgans finished off their competition, 8-1, in third doubles.

Women's Tennis Clinches Empire 8 Regular Season Title With Win at Sage

For the first time in program history, the St. John Fisher College women's tennis team clinched the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship after defeating The Sage Colleges, 8-1, in an Empire 8 match at Tri-City Tennis Courts.  With the win, Fisher secured the top overall seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Championship with an unblemished 6-0 mark in the conference standings.  The Cardinals have posted a win in each of their last three outings to finish the regular season with a 7-3 mark.  Sage closed out the day at 9-3, 3-2, respectively. 

The Cardinals swept all six flights in singles play led by senior Kaili Saffran who continued to dominate at first singles as the Webster native put up a 6-3, 6-2 decision for a point while Cassidy Bell was a winner at second singles behind a 6-4, 6-2 performance.  At third singles, Mikayla Santulli came out ahead, 7-5, 6-2 before Cydney Bell finished off her opponent at fourth singles, 6-3, 7-5 (10-6).  At fifth singles, Zuzanna Pociecha was a winner, 6-4, 6-2, while Amanda Thongsirimonghoun defeated her opponent, 6-2, 6-3.
 

Women's Tennis Sweeps Houghton to Earn Spot in Empire 8 Championship Match

The top-seeded St. John Fisher College women's tennis team will play for a conference championship for the first time in team history after defeating fourth-seeded Houghton College, 5-0, on Friday in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Championship at Mendon Pool and Racquet Club.

The Cardinals, who have now won four consecutive matches, moved to 8-3 on the season while the Highlanders had their year come to a close with a 5-9 overall mark.

Fisher made quick work of Houghton in doubles play as the Cardinals swept all three points to put themselves in a strong position.  At first doubles, Kaili Saffran and Cassidy Bell paired up for an 8-5 win while Mikayla Santulli and Zuzanna Pociecha came out on top, 8-3.  Fisher picked up its third point at third doubles behind an 8-3 decision by Jacqueline Chouinard and Valerie Morgans.

In singles play, the match would be decided in the first two flights as Saffran continued her dominant play with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles.  The Webster native has not lost in one-on-one play this season and extended her winning streak to 10 matches.  Cassidy Bell would clinch the match and punch Fisher's ticket to Saturday's finale with a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles.

The Cardinals will lock horns with second-seeded Nazareth College at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Mendon Racquet and Pool Club as the winner of that match will earn the Empire 8's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship, which is slated to begin in May 2020.  The Cardinals defeated the Golden Flyers, 6-3, earlier this season for the first time in nearly two decades.

Empire 8 Champs! Women's Tennis Claims First-Ever Conference Title With Win Over Naz

For the first time in its history, the St. John Fisher College women's tennis team has won the Empire 8 Championship after the top-seeded Cardinals defeated second-seeded Nazareth College, 5-0, on Saturday at Mendon Racquet and Pool Club.  With the win, Fisher claimed its fifth consecutive victory and improved to 10-3 overall, which is the program's most wins in a single season in team history.  The conference title has also earned the Cardinals the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship, which will take place in May 2020 in St. Louis, Mo.

The Cardinals swept all three points in doubles competition for the second day in a row as Kaili Saffran and Cassidy Bell worked an 8-2 win in the first flight.  Zuzanna Pociecha and Mikayla Santulli were winners at second doubles behind an 8-5 effort while Jacqueline Chouinard and Valerie Morgans clinched Fisher's third point behind an 8-4 win in the third doubles flight.

In singles play, Pociecha gained the Cardinals' fifth point with a 6-2, 6-0 decision at fourth singles before Santulli sealed the win with a gritty effort at third singles that resulted in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win.  As a result, Santulli was named the Championship's Most Valuable Player as she won the Cardinals four points over the weekend.

Women's Tennis Sweeps Empire 8 Awards as Seven Named All-Conference

Fresh off its first-ever conference championship, the St. John Fisher College women's tennis team continued to roll as the Cardinals swept all three major postseason awards as announced by the Empire 8 on Thursday.  Head coach Linda Gohagan was named the Coach of the Year while senior Kaili Saffran was named the conference's Player of the Year.  Newcomer Cydney Bell also received high praise as the freshman was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year.

In all, Fisher had seven All-Conference selections with Saffran being named First-Team All-Conference in singles play and again in doubles action alongside Cassidy Bell.  Bell would go on to be named Second-Team All-Empire 8 in singles play along with her sister, Cydney.  The Cardinals had two more tandems named All-Conference as well with Mikayla Santulli and Zuzanna Pociecha being named Second-Team All-Conference while Valerie Morgans and Jacqueline Chouinard were tabbed Honorable Mention All-Empire 8.
 

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