ITHACA, NY - The Smith College tennis team improved to 4-0 in dual matches this season with a 7-2 victory at Ithaca College on Sunday. 

Double Highlights

• Clara Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) and Aranne Jung (Los Angeles, CA/North Hollywood) earned the first point of the day for Smith playing in the number two position. The duo showed their versatility from all parts of the court. Their offensive play forced their opponents, Rodriguez and Curley, to retreat to the baseline as they tried to defend Smith's impenetrable net play. Goshgarian and Jung earned the 8-4 win and are now 2-0 as a doubles team. 

• The second point of the day for Smith came in the number three doubles position. Senior and first year duo of Miranda Gibson (Bethlehem, PA/Moravian Academy) and Sabrina Wang (Beijing, China/Princeton) continue to impress. Gibson continued to show her effectiveness at net while Wang was dominant from the baseline on their way to an 8-5 win. 

• Ayla Hauser (Knoxville, TN/Bearden) and Marielle Sauber (The Woodlands, TX/The John Cooper School) completed the sweep with their win in the number one position. The pair quickly got out to a 4-1 lead with their offensive play. Their opponents, Crain and Pop battled back to 4-3. At this point, Sauber and Hauser doubled-down on their game plan and had incredible energy as they secured their lead. The Smith pair controlled the rest of the match, securing the 8-5 win.

Singles Highlights

• Smith junior, Clara Goshgarian (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) took on Alys Pop in the number two position. Goshgarian played incredibly offensive singles getting her opponent off balance and forcing her to play defense. Pop was able to step up her game in the big moments, edging out Goshgarian 7-5, 7-5 giving Ithaca their first point of the day. 

• The fourth point for Smith came in the number four position from Sabrina Wang (Beijing, China/Princeton). Wang cruised to a 6-3 win in the first set. In the second set, her opponent started battling back as the pair exchanged games. At 4-5 down, Wang played a lights out game to level the score! She went on to win the next two games securing the 6-3, 7-5 win.

• The match was clinched for Smith in the number one position by Ayla Hauser (Knoxville, TN/Bearden), who defeated Taylor Crain who is currently ranked 10th in our region and number 40th nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Hauser played an incredible match, showcasing not only her versatility as a player but her mental strength as an athlete. After dropping the first set 5-7, Hauser regrouped and jumped to a lead in the second set. Crain continued to battle, but Hauser played lights out tennis to secure the set 6-4, forcing a third set. In the third set, Hauser jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Crain, not going down without a fight, steadied up, winning the next two games, making it 3-2. Ayla held serve, going up 4-2, when Crain played a great service game to keep her in the match. Hauser recommitted to her plan, and won the next two games, securing her 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over the nationally ranked player and the match for Smith College. 

• The three-set thrillers continued for Smith.  Aranne Jung (Los Angeles, CA/North Hollywood), took on Kendall Curley in the number three position. After Jung quickly took the first set 6-3, Curley leveled up her game, putting additional pressure on Jung. Curley was able to win the second set, forcing the second third set of the day for Smith, and the second in two days for Jung who was coming off a three-set victory yesterday during Smith's win over Hobart and William Smith Colleges. With the confidence of a recent  third set win under her belt, Jung was able to steady herself and take control of the set, earning the 6th point of the day for Smith with her 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win.

• Miranda Gibson (Bethlehem, PA/Moravian Academy) battled in the number five singles position. She adjusted her tennis while playing a tricky opponent from Ithaca. Sabrina Cheung proved to be too much today, getting the 6-3, 6-1 win for Ithaca - what would be their last point of the day. 

• The final point for Smith came from Dayana Caluna (Plainfield, NJ/College Achieve) who played incredible tennis against Maddie Sutro of Ithaca. Caluna was gritty, mixing up play to keep her opponent off-balance. Caluna used her powerful serve to earn easy points. She stayed steady throughout the match giving her the 6-3, 6-4 win.

Up Next
Smith hosts Bates at 4:00pm on Friday, March 1

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