Senior Jane Ellis made her debut Friday afternoon as Fresno State Tennis hosted crosstown foe Fresno Pacific.
She proved her talent at the No. 6, winning both her sets in the singles round for the Bulldogs that clinched the 4-0 win against the Sunbirds.
Right beside her was another face she knew all too well, A.C. Hummel, who she shared court three with for the doubles round, for the first time since their freshman season.
Now as seniors, the duo took the first match win for the Bulldogs.
Ellis said coming into this match after injuries caused some nerves but that being able to play on the court with her best friend helped her take the 6-1 doubles sweep before Mountain West play.
“It was really fun. We had a really, really good time and then went into singles. It was a bit of a roller coaster for me, but I was really happy that I was able to pull out the win,” Ellis said.
This was the first time she clinched a match for the ‘Dogs, adding to the excitement of her senior year, she noted.
“My parents were there, so it was just kind of a highlight, kind of a full circle moment, because she and I played our first doubles match together during our freshman year. So it was just kind of really fun to revisit that,” Ellis said.
Fresno State head coach Denise Dy said she was pleased with Ellis stepping up in her first time on the lineup, taking the early win for the ‘Dogs.
“She did a great job stepping up… She went in and out of the court really quickly,” Dy said.
Dy highlighted Ellis’ high spirit and energy for the team both on and off the court.
“[She’s a] true Bulldog at heart. It’s been amazing just to have her be a part of this group and to watch her clinch the match her very first time… I think that it’s almost like icing; a cherry on top for her,” Dy said.
Bulldogs Carolina Piferi and Ella Husrefovic also won their doubles match on court two with a score of 6-3, securing the doubles point for Fresno State.
After a tough match between Fresno State and Fresno Pacific’s court one that had Bulldogs Matilde Magrini and Carlotta Nonnis Marzano, it remained unfinished so the athletes could move onto singles since the doubles point was clinched by Fresno State.
Dy said that the players across the board accomplished their jobs and showed what they have been learning during practice in their matches.
“We saw a lot of great things and also some things where we could just continuously improve on, but overall I think I love how we’re being aggressive. I love how we are working together very well, and regardless of the doubles pairings, people are comfortable with playing with everybody. So that’s the most positive thing so far,” she said.
After a tough match between Fresno State and Fresno Pacific’s court one that had Bulldogs Matilde Magrini and Carlotta Nonnis Marzano, it remained unfinished so the athletes could move onto singles since the doubles point was clinched by Fresno State.
As the team headed to singles, the Bulldogs’ line up included Pang Jittakoat at No. 1, Hummel at No. 2, Nonnis Marzano at No. 3, Cristina Flaquer at No. 4, Husrefovic at No. 5 and Ellis at No. 6.
No. 4 Flaquer was the first Bulldog to win her singles match in the second set with a 6-1 win over the Sunbirds.
No. 1 Jittakoat was the second Bulldog to win her match in the second set with a 6-1 win, and Ellis took the third win, clinching the win for Fresno State.
“I felt that we used the day to overall just get better,” Dy said. “Playing Fresno Pacific, they always bring their best and they played a great match today, and I felt that they really pushed us. And I felt like today was just another day to really work on a few little things here and there.”
She continued to highlight the athletes’ performances in their matches, applauding the end to their last game in pre-conference season. She said the girls were “pumped” that they ended their non-conference play 10-3.
“It’s great,” Ellis said. “We’ve had a really great season. So far, we have a lot to play for, and going into those conferences, I think we’re really confident and really excited.”
The team heads into their conference season next week. Dy said these last couple matches have given the team the opportunity to fine tune their skills as they head on to play.
“I think that’s exactly what every individual did: they took care of business. They also worked on some of the things they’ve been working on individually this past week. So overall, I think it was just a very productive day for the whole entire team,” she said.
Dy said the motivation the girls have this season and their efforts to win will help the team succeed as they take on conference next week. She said there’s still a lot of work left to do for the team and anticipates the girls’ best tennis performance to come out.
“I don’t think that we’re playing our best tennis. I don’t think we’ve reached our full potential yet, but I do think that everybody is pretty fired up and pretty pumped to see how the conference goes in general,” she said.
