The Shippensburg University women’s tennis team opened the non-championship portion of its 2023-24 season Friday with a setback against non-conference foe Chestnut Hill, falling to the Griffins by a 7-0 score on a hot and humid afternoon at Robb Sports Complex.
Shippensburg (0-1), playing its first of back-to-back matches this weekend, had seven of its players featured Friday, including three newcomers. Of the first-year performers making their collegiate debut, Ali Zapach (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) and Rachel Gallagher (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) each won a singles game at No. 2 and No. 4 respectively.
Junior Kendall Winters (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter Strasburg) won four games in her match at No. 6 singles, while junior Brooklynn Rupert (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) and sophomore Corinne Markovich (Johnstown, Pa./Central Cambria) each won a game respectively at No. 1 and No. 3 singles.
Chestnut Hill (1-0), picked third in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) preseason poll, won all but one doubles game to start the match with a 1-0 lead.
Shippensburg travels tomorrow to California (Pa.) for a 1 p.m. non-conference match with the Vulcans.
