Predicting the Last Four Matches of the Regular Season for Syracuse Tennis
Josh Richardson | @joshrichy_04
As the season begins to wind down with only two weekends left in regular season play, four matches remain for Syracuse Tennis. The Orange have dropped their last three since upsetting then #8 NC State at home. In those losses, it hasn’t particularly been close. SU lost to #6 Virginia and Wake Forest 5-2. Syracuse followed those up with a 6-1 loss to Virginia Tech down in Blacksburg. Now, the Orange have four matches left, three of them against top 40 schools in the nation. Let’s predict how it’s all going to go down for SU!
Florida St.
Last season Syracuse beat FSU 4-3 at Drumlins. That match came as the 8th straight win to start the season for SU, until the wheels fell off the bus at the end of the year. In that contest though, the Orange won the doubles point thanks to a 7-6 win by Miyuka Kimoto and Polina Kozyreva. From then on, FSU dominated the front half of singles. #1 player Zeynep Erman and #2 player in Kimoto both lost in straight sets. Thankfully for SU, Viktoriya Kanapatskaya, Kozyreva, and Shiori Ito all picked up the slack and won their respective matches.
This season, Kimoto has been on an absolute TEAR. The junior has upset three nationally ranked opponents in her last four matches. I see no reason why she can’t rebound from last year and this team can’t repeat its success.
FINAL: SYR 5-2 FSU
Miami
This was the match that put Syracuse on the map last season. The #23 Hurricanes came in to Drumlins and lost 5-2. It started with Miami winning the doubles point, but SU did not budge. The Orange won 5/6 singles matches, including Erman upsetting the 8th-ranked player in the nation. After this match, Syracuse lost 10 of its last 12. This season, Miami comes in as the 21st-ranked team in the country. With the match down in Coral Gables this year, I don’t see Syracuse pulling off the upset again.
FINAL: SYR 2-5 MIA
Notre Dame
This is the X-Factor matchup for Syracuse. The Irish currently rank 36th according to ITA. Last year SU lost 2-4 in South Bend, but this year the two programs will meet at Drumlins. This contest could go either way. Syracuse has beaten and lost to teams better than Notre Dame this year, but the first match back at home after a long road trip is going to go a long way with every member of this program.
FINAL: SYR 4-3 ND
Louisville
This match should be “set it and forget it” for Syracuse Tennis. The Cardinals come in 4-13 on the season, 0-8 in the ACC, and losers of their last 11 matches. Then they have to go to Drumlins where the Orange 9-2 at home? And Louisville is expected to compete? I don’t think so. Syracuse will secure one final win in a tune-up match before they attempt to go on a run in the ACC Tournament.
FINAL: SYR 6-1 LOU
Syracuse Tennis CAN compete with anyone. It’s just a matter of will the Orange be on their game on the right day. Four matches left in the season and SU is two wins away from matching its total from last year. The final stretch of the season begins today at 4:30 when the Orange battle Florida State down in Tallahassee.
