WEST POINT, N.Y. — The Army Black Knights women’s tennis team stayed perfect at home Friday, rolling past Fairleigh Dickinson with a 4–0 victory to improve to 7–2 on the season and 7–0 at home.
Army set the tone immediately by securing the doubles point, then carried that momentum into singles to close out the match quickly and keep its home unbeaten streak intact.
Peck: Doubles momentum and a deep lineup
Head coach Paul Peck said the difference from last week’s tight 4–3 win over Stony Brook started with the opening point.
“We’ve been experimenting with our doubles lineup,” Peck told Bad Dawg Sports. “Against UConn and Stony Brook, we lost the doubles point, but then came back and won. When you win the doubles point, it gives you the momentum — it puts your opponents behind.”
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Friday, that early edge changed the feel of the match.
“Instead of playing from behind, we’re playing from the front,” Peck said. “It definitely gave our players confidence going into singles.”
Army’s Olivia Mellynchuk and Emily Ruckno defeated FDU’s Yelena Kim and Anastasia Lim, 6–3, in doubles action at West Point. Mandatory Credit: Army Athletics/Mady Salvani
With two matches on deck tomorrow, Peck said Army will lean on its depth.
“As you know, I have a deep lineup, and I’m going to play a lot of my depth,” Peck said. “Tomorrow, in both those matches, I’ll try to get some younger players some playing experience.”
Mathivanan: Culture, support, and playing free
Senior Vennmukiil Mathivanan (Chapel Hill, N.C.) pointed to the team’s culture as the engine behind Army’s home success.
“I think the teamwork and culture of the team,” Mathivanan said. “We’ve been really close — cheering each other no matter what the result is. Having each other’s back and supporting each other is our key to success.”
Army senior Vennmukiil Mathivanan serves during singles play against Fairleigh Dickinson at West Point. Mandatory Credit: Army Athletics/Mady Salvani
She added that the lessons from Stony Brook were as much mental as tactical.
“Just focusing during practice — being intentional and having that goal and mindset during practice really helps with our match play,” Mathivanan said. “And the mental health side of things — we have a sports psychologist that we go to. That tight win says a lot about our grit and hard work.”
Even in an individual sport, she said Army’s matches don’t feel individual.
“Tennis is considered an individual sport, but whenever I walk onto any court right now in college, it feels like we’re all playing together,” Mathivanan said. “When you’re here, just playing free — it’s like an escape.”
No. 3 doubles: Olivia Manson / Emma Sy def. Katsiaryna Kostsina / Valentina Silva, 6–2
No. 2 doubles: Ylan Duong / Vennmukiil Mathivanan vs. Ann Kato / Sophia Fredericks-McKee, unfinished
Singles: Dominant finishes clinch the sweep
Once singles began, Army didn’t leave the door open. The Black Knights posted three straight-set wins to clinch, highlighted by two 6–0, 6–0 performances.
No. 2 singles: Vennmukiil Mathivanan def. Yelena Kim, 6–0, 6–0
With the match decided at 4–0, the remaining singles courts were left incomplete.
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Court 2: Duong / Mathivanan vs. Kato / Fredericks-McKee, unfinished
Court 3: Manson / Sy def. Kostsina / Silva, 6–2
Singles
Court 2: Mathivanan def. Kim, 6–0, 6–0
Court 5: Samonte def. Kostsina, 6–0, 6–0
Court 6: Mellynchuk def. Silva, 6–1, 6–0
Court 1: Smith vs. Lim, unfinished
Court 3: Sy vs. Fredericks-McKee, unfinished
Court 4: Ruckno vs. Ovsiienko, unfinished
What’s next
Army is right back at it tomorrow with two matches on deck, hosting Monmouth and Fairfield as the Black Knights look to keep the momentum rolling and protect their home courts.
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