Women's Tennis Welcomes Walsh To WNY Saturday

9/10/2021 2:00:00 PM

Match #2
Daemen Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Walsh Cavaliers (0-0, 0-0 GMAC)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 11
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Williamsville, N.Y. | Williamsville South HS Courts

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. EARLY TEST
Daemen continues a season-opening three-match homestand by welcoming fellow NCAA Division II member Walsh to Western New York. It figures to be a good early season test for a veteran-laden Wildcat team as Walsh has posted a 38-17 record over the last three seasons. In what will be the fourth all-time meeting between the teams, the Wildcats are seeking their first-ever win in the series.

2. SUCCESSFUL DEBUT
Head coach Richard Greco, Jr. made a successful debut Tuesday when the Wildcats downed RIT 4-3 at the Williamsville South courts. Greco, who was appointed to the position earlier this summer, became the third coach in program history to win his debut match. The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the match thanks to victories on the first and second doubles courts. Frida Rubio and Christina Stasiuk picked up where they left off last season atop the Wildcats' doubles lineup, breezing to a 6-0 win, while newcomer Kitsa Scime paired with junior Mackenzie Schayes to win 6-2, securing the doubles point. Rubio, Stasiuk and Scime all earned singles victories to clinch the dual match win.

3. CREEPING CLOSER
Stasiuk's singles victory Tuesday was the 40th of her career. She is only the fourth player in program history to reach that total, and she stands seven singles wins shy of all-time leader Hayle Scanlan (47). With 29 doubles wins in her career, Stasiuk is close to becoming just the fifth player in to reach the 30-win mark. Her 69 combined singles/doubles victories rank fourth in program history. Only Scanlan (93), Gretchen Ringler (84) and Jessica Robins (72) have won more matches in a Wildcat uniform.

4. POLL POSITION
Daemen has been picked fourth in the ECC preseason coaches' poll which was released in late August. The Wildcats sit behind Queens (N.Y.), St. Thomas Aquinas and District of Columbia in the poll, while edging fifth-place Molloy and sixth-place D'Youville. A fourth place finish would put the Wildcats back into the conference tournament for a second consecutive season. Both District of Columbia and Molloy are returning to competition after opting out of the 2020-21 season entirely.

5. ON THE HORIZON
A busy week awaits as the Wildcats conclude their season-opening three-match homestand by hosting Allegheny for noon match Tuesday, followed by a trip to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. for the ITA East Region Championship beginning Sept. 17.

WALSH CAVALIERS SCOUTING REPORT
Walsh is a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Cavaliers are led by head coach Bryan Whittaker who is in his 10th season on the job. In a schedule played entirely in the spring, Whittaker led the Cavaliers to an 14-5 overall record and an appearance in the GMAC Championships. Saturday's match vs. Daemen marks the season opener for Walsh. They've won 10 of their last 12 matches.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. WALSH
Series Record: Walsh 3-0
At Daemen: Walsh 1-0
Last Meeting: Walsh 7, Daemen 0 | Feb. 16, 2019 | at North Canton, Ohio

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