GENEVA, NY – The William Smith tennis team opened its season by hosting the annual Mary Hosking Invitational at HWS Tennis Center over the weekend. The Herons hosted the invitational that saw players represent William Smith, Ithaca, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), University of Rochester, St. Lawrence and Union. 
 
William Smith was represented in each of the following brackets:
 
Flight A Singles
 
Senior Grace Magna fell in her season-debut to eventual Flight A Champion, Yvette Karera from St. Lawrence, 8-1. First-year Lillian Stukovsky impressed in her collegiate debut. Although falling in the Round of 16 to Ithaca's Madeline Sutro, 9-7, Stukovsky went on to defeat Union's Loden Bradstreet 8-2 in the consolation bracket before falling in the semifinals. Classmate Katelyn Gray also shined in her collegiate debut. Gray fell 8-4 in her opening match to Rochester's Noel Allen, but bounced back in the consolation bracket, defeating RIT's Tina Dong 8-5, and Stukovsky, 8-6, before falling in the finals to Ithaca's Alys Pop, 8-4.
 
Flight B Singles
 
First-year Nellie Larson opened her collegiate career on a high, defeating Union's Scarlet Carrara 8-1 in the Round of 16, before falling to St. Lawrence's Callie Perrin, 9-7, in the quarterfinals. Junior Bethany Walker fell in her season opener to RIT's Melanie Saborio, 8-4, but bounced back in the consolation bracket, defeating Ithaca's Ava Casell-Lapetina, 8-5. Walker then fell to Union's Jenny Park 8-4 in the consolation semifinals.
 
Flight C Singles
 
Sophomore Katie Hardy fell in the opening round to St. Lawrence's Sarah Oldland, 8-1. Hardy recovered in the consolation bracket, defeating Ithaca's Lillian Caccamo 8-3, before falling to Union's Jenny Park 8-4 in the semifinals. First-year Kathryn Schade opened her collegiate career with a win as she bested Ithaca's Anna Harbin 9-8 (7-5) in the Round of 16. Schade then fell in the quarterfinals to Rochester's Lilly Caldwell, 8-1. Senior Elizabeth Gardner defeated Ithaca's Jade Vadeboncoeur 8-5 in the opening round but fell in the quarterfinals to Rochester's Aiza Ahmed 8-2. Sophomore Anna Nigro won her season opener, defeating Ithaca's Julia Huff 8-2, before falling in the quarterfinals. First-year Luci Hudson had a strong collegiate debut, beating RIT's Sona Hanumali 8-3, and Nigro in the quarterfinals, 8-3. Hudson fell in the semifinals to Caldwell, 8-6.
 
Flight A Doubles
 
The pairing of Gray and Larson opened doubles play with an 8-2 loss to eventual Flight A Champions, Yvette and Ariane Karera from St. Lawrence. The Heron duo went on to impress in the consolation bracket, defeating Rochester's Caldwell and Ahmed 8-6 in the quarterfinals and RIT's Melanie Saborio and Kai Wells 8-1, in the semifinals. They then fell to RIT's Emily Greb and Tina Dong 8-5 in the finals. Walker and Hardy dropped their opening match in doubles play to Ithaca's Sutro and Zuri Freeman, 8-3. Magna and Stukovsky won their Round of 16 matchup against Union's Park and Boncordo 8-3, before falling to Rochester's Katie Yang and Hayley Menon 8-6 in the quarterfinals.
 
Flight B Doubles
 
In Flight B doubles play, Nigro and Hudson fell in the quarterfinals to RIT's Amulya Settyvari and Hanumali, 8-4. The duo bounced back in the consolation bracket, defeating Union's Violet Tran and Megan Woods 8-3. Seniors Teghan Torrey and Gardner impressed in doubles play, defeating Tran and Woods 8-2, and Ithaca's Vadeboncoeur and Caccamo 8-4 in the semifinals. The William Smith duo fell in the finals to RIT's Settyvari and Hanumali 8-3 despite their strong efforts.
 
UP NEXT:
 
William Smith will be back Oct.3-5 when it travels to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for the ITA Northeast Regional Championships.