Women’s Tennis Earns AMCC Win in Season Opener
ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's tennis team opened its 2024 season at home on Saturday, launching right into Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play by hosting Carlow University at Gorilla House Gym.
The Lions (1-0, 1-0 AMCC) had a strong day in their first match of the year, defeating Carlow (0-2, 0-1 AMCC) by a score of 6-1. Penn State Altoona won two out of three in doubles play to pick up the early point, then won five out of six in singles play to finish with a comfortable victory.
Carlow won the No. 1 doubles match, but Penn State Altoona posted victories in the next two to clinch the match's first point. In No. 2 doubles, the duo of Rachel Stricek (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone)/Abigail Morgan (Orrville, OH/Orrville) posted a 6-2 triumph, while the tandem of Lexi Colaianni (Pittsburgh, PA/Kiski Area)/Daniel Fulton (Milford, DE/Milford) won 6-2 in the No. 3 spot.
The Lions finished with a five-point match win, thanks to coming out on top in two through six singles. Stricek bounced back from a first-set loss in No. 2 singles to win her match, prevailing 2-6, 6-2, 10-3. Sienna Fell (Canonsburg, PA/Canon-McMillan) nabbed a 6-1, 6-4 decision over her opponent in the No. 3 match, and Morgan won 6-1, 6-3 in No. 4 singles. Fulton secured a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the No. 5 match, and Colaianni posted a 6-0, 6-3 win in the No. 6 slot.
The victories by Colaianni, Fell, Fulton, and Morgan were the first of their collegiate tennis careers.
Penn State Altoona women's tennis continues its brief season-opening homestand tomorrow, Sunday, September 1, when the Lions will host non-conference foe Waynesburg University. That match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. and will be played outdoors on campus at the Adler Courts.
