Senior Sendoff Series: Michal Matson
Hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand, Michal “Mikey” Matson made a name for herself as both a singles and doubles tennis player for Seton Hall. Along with her partner Melody Taal, Matson reached the Sweet Sixteen of the ITA Regionals as a junior. The Setonian caught up with Matson to discuss her memories as a Pirate and the abrupt cancellation of her senior year due to coronavirus. This interview has been slightly edited for...
Tennis ready for major turnover after cut-short season
On a tight-knit squad of eight players, the Seton Hall tennis team will graduate five. Out of all the programs at the school, this is by far the highest turnover rate. Mekeila Erspamer, Minja Gligic, Anniek Jansen, Michal Matson and Melody Taal all had their undergraduate careers ended early by COVID-19. Now, if all choose to leave and not express an extra year of eligibility, the tennis team will look much different next season....
Combination of youth and experience to lead Tennis in 2020
At West Point this weekend, Seton Hall tennis will get a taste of Big East competition as they compete against Georgetown among other schools. With last year’s number two position player, Regina Pitts, transferring, the lineup had to be shifted. Many of last year’s players must now use their experience to acclimate into new roles. The newcomers, two of whom are freshmen, look to make an immediate impact. The two freshmen who will...
ITA Regionals allow women’s tennis to prepare for spring season
The fall season is almost over for the Seton Hall women’s tennis team with one final tournament to prepare them for the spring portion. The meat of the team’s schedule is from late January to mid-April, where the Pirates will play in 19 different matches, including the Big East Championship. The fall season serves more as a tune up for what is to come, but it is still important, as it shortens the offseason and makes sure that players...
Expectations are high for revamped tennis roster
The Seton Hall women’s tennis team started the season with a lackluster performance at the West Point Invitational two weeks ago, but made a full 360-degree turn when it took home two trophies last weekend. After losing their No. 1, Anicka Fajnorova, head coach Kevin McGlynn had to reorder his lineup this season. With three new players on the roster combined with three players that will be seniors this upcoming spring, McGlynn...
Women’s tennis struggles at West Point
This past weekend, the Seton Hall women’s tennis team competed in the West Point Invitational, a tournament featuring schools from all over the map and offering a wide range of competitors. For the Pirates, the tournament did not go as planned, as many players were eliminated in the first or second round of their respective brackets. Beginning with the A Singles tournament, where two participants finished higher than any other Pirate...
Fajnorova, Kangwa embracing final challenges
As the Seton Hall tennis team gears up to head to the Big East Championship in Cayce, South Carolina next week, there is ample time for its two seniors, Anicka Fajnorova and Thandy Kangwa, to reflect on their time with the program. The duo arrived together in 2015-16 on a team which went 8-13 the previous year. Fajnorova slid into a singles role immediately, whereas Kangwa saw action in only three matches, but each player has...
Mind over Matter: Women’s Tennis’ focus approaching Big East Championship
Before an extremely competitive weekend against some of the conference’s top teams, Seton Hall women’s tennis was surging. Pirates’ tennis is treading into waters of unfamiliar territory for the program since 2013-14 season: a winning record. They have already won on four different occasions by the score 7-0 and on three different occasions in which they only gave up one point. Seton Hall is 13-8 overall and currently sit at 5-4 in...
Pirates wrap up spring break with successful three-game stint
The Seton Hall women’s tennis team wrapped up a successful week over spring break, going 2-1 against a mix of non-conference and Big East opponents. Against Bucknell on March 11, the team swept a victory, 7-0. In doubles play, Anicka Fajnorova and Regina Pitts won 6-2. Bucknell’s Misi Papich and Jill Auteri won the third flight 7-6 (4), but Thandy Kangwa and Minja Gligic won 7-5 in the second flight which would clinch the first point...
Pirates unable to squeeze past NJIT in Jersey matchup
Coming into its Friday meeting with Seton Hall, NJIT boasted an impressive 7-1 record. That trend would continue, undoubtedly for the Pirates, as they fell, 4-3. NJIT came out with a fiery hunger for victory after suffering its first loss of the season just days earlier, with the team’s play showing an obvious quest to avenge the loss. As usual, Seton Hall’s Anicka Fajnarova and Regina Pitts led off doubles play in flight one....
Pirates fail to muster up victory against Fordham
The Seton Hall women’s tennis team lost, 5-2, against Fordham on Friday afternoon. The Pirates kept the games close, but Fordham was able to consistently close out games to ensure the victory. The loss drops the Pirates to 4-2 on the season. In the doubles bracket, Seton Hall was able to grab one match as Michal Matson and Melody Taal won in the number three game, 7-6. Still, the Pirates were unable to win their other two matches as...
Pirates sweep LIU Brooklyn in convincing fashion
On Feb. 10, the Seton Hall women’s tennis team came out victorious with a 7-0 sweep at LIU Brooklyn. They win completes a weekend sweep after beating Drexel the day before, and improves the team’s record to 4-1 on the season. Seton Hall swept the doubles bracket, as all three teams won their respective matches. Anicka Fajnorova and Regina Pitts played a close and tight match and were still able to squeeze out a 7-6 (3) victory against...