Syracuse’s top singles player, Guzal Yusupova, was a couple feet behind the baseline when Akanksha Bhan of Columbia hit a drop shot. The ball bounced a couple of feet over the net, seemingly out of Yusupova’s reach. But, at full sprint, the senior swooped in stretching for the ball, reaching it inches before a second bounce. But after the improbable recovery, Yusupova’s hopes were dashed when her return failed to make it over the net.

Too often on Friday, Syracuse (6-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) was close to victory but failed to finish. SU started down 2-0 after losing the doubles points and Sofya Golubovskaya’s forfeit due to injury but Miranda Ramirez and Kim Hansen both won, giving Syracuse a chance. But in the end, Columbia University (8-2) defeated the Orange 4-2.

“We played very well, just came up a little bit short in some matches and some big points,” said head coach Younes Limam. “Credit to Columbia, they came in and they played really well in the big points.”

From the beginning of the match, Syracuse was fighting from behind. The doubles partnership of Ramirez and Yusupova fell behind 15-40 in the fifth game of doubles, tied 2-2. When the duo fought back to deuce, Columbia hit a cross-court return past Yusupova at the net and by Ramirez’s swinging racket at the baseline.

With screams coming from both sides of the court, SU fell down 0-15. Tied at three games apiece, Columbia’s Paulina Ferrari shuffled her feet back and forth, awaiting Yusupova’s serve. After a long rally, Syracuse won the point on an improbable Ramirez backhand facing away from the court. But, seconds later the Lions won the game, pushing their lead to 4-3.

“If you can’t take a clean volley, you take it on a bounce and stay aggressive,” assistant coach Jennifer Meredith told Ramirez and Yusupova after a Ramirez volley failed to cross the net.

Early in singles, it seemed as if the doubles point wouldn’t deter the Orange from a seventh straight victory. Three times this season Syracuse has lost the doubles point but won the match. Syracuse led at points in four of the six singles matches, with only Golubovskaya and Sonya Treshcheva trailing. After losing the first set 6-2, Golubovskaya called a trainer over and sat on the bench for around 20 minutes. Eventually, she decided the discomfort in her right shoulder was too great and forfeited her match.

Earlier, in pregame warmups Golubovskaya had a trainer wrap her shoulder and her right forearm. The junior forewent the last 30 minutes of pre-game warmups, instead watching her teammates from the sideline.

After Golubovskaya exited her court, Yusupova’s match turned in favor of Columbia’s Bhan. After losing the first three games, Bhan won six of the next nine. Down 6-5 (15-15), Yusupova hit a cross-court return wide in the deuce alley, smacked the tarp behind her and grimaced at her shot selection. Throughout Yusupova’s match, Meredith sat on the top of the sideline bench, with her feet resting on the seat. Whenever Bhan and Yusupova switched sides, Meredith offered the senior advice, particularly on how to approach Bhan’s serve.

“First serve play the middle,” Yusupova recalled Meredith’s guidance. “If there’s a second serve, go to the net, finish the point.”

Meanwhile, Treshcheva and Zeynep Erman struggled as well. With SU needing two more victories for the match win, only Erman led. And after winning the first set (7-5), frustrations bubbled over for Erman in the second set as she clung to a 3-2 lead.

“She can’t even run,” Ferrari yelled from the sidelines as Erman stood still, watching a return from Julia Haynes bounce into the ad court for a 15-0 Haynes lead in the sixth game. Three points later, Erman crouched on one knee after missing a shot, eventually using her racket to lift herself up, while Bhan’s teammates screamed.

“Tennis is not like football,” Erman said. “You don’t scream after every point. You don’t scream during the points.”

With victory seeming slim, Ramirez walked to the sideline of Yusupova’s match to cheer on her doubles partner.

“You’re better than her, this is your set, your match,” Ramirez told Yusupova.

Yusupova won three straight games. Last week, Yusupova came back from down 5-1 to secure the match victory for Syracuse. But today, in the ninth game of the second set, Yusupova hit a return into the net to lose (7-5, 6-3). Minutes later, Treshcheva’s match ended in a loss (7-6, 7-5). After hitting the ball long, Treshcheva retreated, laughed in disgust and slammed her racket against a tarp sending a booming echo around Drumlins Country Club. On the next point, Treshcheva’s shot missed long again, ending her match and Syracuse’s winning streak.

“We’re trying our best so like, of course we’re sad,” said Erman. “When your team loses, you all lose.”

Published on February 21, 2020 at 8:24 pm

Contact Thomas: tgshults@syr.edu | @ThomasShults_