Ferrum College’s men’s and women’s tennis teams opened competition at the Burrows Tennis Courts last weekend, hosting Marymount University and Salem College in a full day of home matches.

While the women battled through two tough contests to begin their season, the men delivered a dominant performance to begin undefeated. 

Ferrum women fell 6-1 to Marymount to start the day. This highlight came early in doubles action, where both first-years Stephanie Porras and Olivia Eisenman battled their way to a 6-4 win for the No. 1 spot. Porras carried that momentum into singles play, earning a straight-set victory at No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-0 performance. Marymount claimed the remaining matches, both singles and doubles, to earn the overall team win. 

In the afternoon matchup against Salem, Ferrum dropped a 5-2 decision but remained committed throughout the match.

Porras and Hannah Huffman, graduate student, teamed up at No. 1 doubles and picked up a 6-4 win. Both players continued to produce in singles play, with Porras earning a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 1 and Huffman collecting a win at No. 2. Despite their efforts, Salem took the overall match. 

The weekend results move the women to 0-2 on the season. 

On the men’s side, it was a very different story. The team will now start the season without a blemish:  undefeated with a dominant 7-0 sweep over Marymount at home. 

The men set the tone in doubles play. First-years Sebastian Ondas and Tobi Teller, secured a 6-1 win at No. 1, while Emanuel Ferreira, first-year, and Brian Karenzi, first-year, followed with a 6-2 victory at No. 2 to lock in the doubles point. 

Ferrum carried that momentum straight into singles competition, winning all six matches in straight sets. Ferreira led the charge at No. 1 with a shutout performance, and Ondas, Teller, Emilio Munguia, Karenzi and Gabriel Alvarez, senior, each handled their courts confidently to complete the sweep. 

Both teams will return to the court Feb., 28 at 1 p.m. to face Columbia College in away matches.