By now, it’s used to the grunts and groans. But the screams threw off its game.

The Syracuse tennis team traveled to Ithaca to face Western Michigan and Cornell this past weekend, hoping to continue its winning streak. Instead, the Orangewomen started a new streak, losing 6-1 to Western Michigan on Saturday and to the Big Red, 4-3, on Sunday.

Syracuse was in trouble soon after its first meet began. Not only did Western Michigan sweep the Orangewomen in doubles play — SU’s strong point — but Syracuse head coach Mac Gifford quickly noticed that the Broncos had a more vocal approach to their game.

‘We got flattened by them in doubles,’ Gifford said. ‘They were screaming and yelling, their coach is complaining about points. My team came up to me after the doubles matches and (asked me), ‘Isn’t tennis supposed to be fun?’ ‘

While Western Michigan enjoyed itself, the Orangewomen struggled to stay in matches.

‘I really thought we were going to be competitive,’ Gifford said. ‘I thought we were going to win singles.’

Instead, the Orangewomen lost five of six singles matches. Senior Shervin Saedinia’s victory (6-1, 1-6, 6-2) over Malena Remynse made her the only Orangewoman to win a match Saturday. In fact, she was the only SU player to force a third set.

But the loss to Western Michigan wasn’t the end for Syracuse, which next faced Cornell — SU’s biggest non-conference rival.

‘I actually think (the loss to Western Michigan) got us more fired up,” Gifford said, “because Cornell is our rival and we wanted to beat them badly.’

Syracuse entered the weekend hoping to continue its good fortune by treating Cornell to a loss. But if the Orangewomen were ready to prove something in Sunday’s meet, their inspiration only lasted through the doubles matches.

With an 8-5 victory from the pair of Daniela Kaluskova and Kristine Bech Holte over Kate Sternberg and Mollie Edinson, the Orangewomen started the meet off one point ahead of Cornell.

But the Orangewomen’s singles play didn’t resemble their doubles success. Only Kabanova — who beat Laura Leigh Tallent 6-1, 6-1 — and Holte, who defeated Nicole Chiu 6-2, 5-7(5), won singles matches. Every other Orangewoman failed to reach a third set.

The Cornell meet could have turned out differently, Gifford said, if sophomore Trine Lise Juliussen was not sidelined with an aggravated ankle sprain she originally suffered against West Virginia on Feb. 16. Without Juliussen, who’s expected to return to the lineup soon, the Orangewomen are scrambling to keep the same strength they had before her injury.

‘Trine (had) come up big for us all year,’ Gifford said. ‘Without Trine, we run thin.’

Published on March 4, 2003 at 12:00 pm