Davidson Women’s Tennis Hits Its Stride

VICTOR TAYLOR ‘24 (HE/HIM) SPORTS EDITOR

Davidson Women’s Tennis has had an up and down season so far, with the team battling injuries and other obstacles on their way to a 6-12 record to conclude the regular season. However, with the team fully healthy again and hitting their stride at the right time, the conference championship will be an opportunity for the Wildcats to make some noise.

The last four matches of the season have been a big positive shift in momentum for the team. With number one singles player Josie Schaffer ‘23 working her way back into the lineup, the ‘Cats squeezed out a 4-3 win against local foe GardnerWebb, with Linden Patterson ‘25 clinching the final match. They followed that up with a dominant 4-1 decision against George Washington to claim their first conference win of the season.

The last weekend of the season was by far the most difficult one of the year, with longtime champions VCU and a strong Richmond squad visiting the ‘Cats on home turf. Normally a steamroller in the conference, Davidson put the Rams through a dogfight, coming up just short in the last singles match of the evening. Another tough fight ensued with Richmond, with the Cats losing 1-5 to conclude the season. However, the performances put in by the team were some of the most impressive of the year, meaning the squad is trending upwards at the right time.

A-10 Rookie of the Week Savanna Kollock ‘26 has gone 11-4 this year, leading the team in Win/Loss percentage and being a rock at the #5 singles spot. She has also gone 10-4 in doubles, playing with both Schaeffer and Patterson as they have made a consistent impact at #3 doubles.

Whatever the end result may be for this squad, the ‘Cats will have solace in knowing that they are rounding into form at the right time. If this team wins a match or two before seeing one of the top teams in the conference, it will make them ready to give every team a battle.