The Idaho Vandals women’s tennis team and the rest of the Big Sky Conference begin their quest for a championship. The action kicks off in Phoenix, Arizona, starting today and running through Saturday, April 26.
The Vandals hasve had their ups and downs throughout the season and hasve been struggling of late, losing the last three matches. They enter the tournament with an overall record of 10-10 and a conference record of 4-4.
Led by head coach Sanne Clevenger, the Vandals have shown flashes this season of how good they can be. Heading into the Vandal Invitational, those flashes were there, but they hadn’t translated into wins as the team sat at just 2-5.
Playing under the lights of the P1FCU Kibbie Dome, something clicked. After suffering a tough 5-2 defeat against the University of New Mexico, the Vandals entered their match against the University of South Dakota knowing a win was necessary. They responded as a team, roaring to a 6-1 victory that set the tone for the rest of their season.
Idaho carried that momentum into five straight wins, including a 3-0 start to conference play, before heading into a crucial matchup with in-state rival Idaho State. However, the Vandals couldn’t sustain that form down the stretch, dropping four of their last six matches and entering the Big Sky tournament on a three-match losing streak.
Junior Naomi Schraeder has been a cornerstone of the Vandals’ season, performing consistently in both singles and doubles. She will play a pivotal role in how far Idaho goes this weekend. Junior Jessica Matthews has also been a key contributor alongside Schraeder, battling through her own ups and downs while remaining one of the keys to the Vandals walking away with hardware.
Junior Ida Johansson has quietly put together a strong season as part of the no. 2 doubles pairing and has held her own in singles play, contributing crucial points and proving she can be relied upon even when the team isn’t at its best.
The trio of sophomores Hanna Koprowska, Soha Singh and Chenyue Xu have made significant strides as the season has progressed and appear to be hitting their stride at just the right time.
With a balance of youth and experience, seniors Valentina Rodas and Mariam Hatem will play a crucial role this weekend, bringing leadership, experience, and talent when it matters most.
The regular season is over. The Vandals have a chance to reset, to prove to the Big Sky and to themselves that they can make some noise and maybe bring home some silverware.