The Massachusetts women’s tennis team returned to the courts at Bay Road Tennis Center, where the Minutewomen (13-3, 5-0 Mid-American) took down Northern Illinois. The match carried extra significance, as the day was also dedicated to honoring and celebrating the team’s graduating seniors, marking the culmination of their careers at UMass.
The Minutewomen delivered a dominant performance in singles, sweeping all six courts. Freshman Madara Markevica continued to impress, battling through a competitive first set to secure an early edge against the Huskies (15-6, 1-4 MAC). Although she and teammate Martina Pavissich fell 2-6 in doubles, they came back to claim wins in their singles matches. Markevica took full control of the second set, shutting out her opponent 6-0 to seal a decisive straight-set victory.
Pavissich learned from her doubles match how to elevate her execution. After dropping the first set 2-6, she analyzed her early mistakes and adjusted her strategy, focusing on precision, court positioning and exploiting her opponent’s weaknesses. Her adjustments paid off as she dominated the next two sets, winning 6-2 and 6-1.
Senior Ella Faessler played an outstanding performance alongside graduate Renata Farima, providing UMass’ sole doubles victory with confidence and sharp teamwork. The duo controlled the pace from the outset, capitalizing on strong serves and consistent net play to keep their opponents on the defensive. Faessler and Farima ultimately won with a 6-2 scoreline, providing a bright spot for the Minutewomen in doubles play.
Faessler carried that momentum seamlessly into singles play, where she faced Northern Illinois’ Irmak Budak in a tightly-contested battle on the first court. She came out strong in the opening set, using steady groundstrokes and smart shot selection to take control and lock a 6-3 win. Budak responded in the second as Faessler dropped it 4-6. That only elevated Faessler’s energy and focus to every point as she closed out the match with a 6-4 victory in the third set to secure the win.
Farima transferred the drive from her doubles victory into singles play. From the opening points, she took aggressive shots and smart court coverage, keeping her opponent Jenna Horne on the defensive for the entire match. Her tactical adjustments allowed her to control the pace of the match, earning victories of 6-3 and 6-4 in each set respectively. The win highlighted the graduate’s experience and leadership, reinforcing her role as a cornerstone of the UMass lineup.
Junior Amelia Tye performed highly, adding another impressive singles victory to her consistent run of success. She showed resilience against the Huskies early on, battling through a tight first set to claim a 7-5 win. Building on that strength, Tye settled into her rhythm and executed her strategy with precision and confidence. She controlled the match from the outset, overpowering her opponent in a 6-0 second set.
Freshman Fiona Ao continued to grow with each match, turning an earlier singles loss against Ball State with an impressive response. She opened the match confidently, taking control of the first set, winning 6-2. Ao demonstrated maturity beyond her years, she battled through a tighter contest in the second set and emerged with a 7-5 win.
The Minutewomen will return to the Bay Road Indoor Tennis Center in Amherst on Thursday, April 2, to face Franklin Pierce. The team aims to build on their recent successes in singles and tighten up their chemistry during doubles to define the rest of their season.
Ashley Son can be reached at [email protected].
