Syracuse’s season-long close match struggles continue in Stanford defeat
Syracuse tennis has failed to win a match within three points this season. That trend continued in the Orange’s home loss to Stanford Friday. Peter Radosh | Asst. Copy Editor
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Throughout its 2026 season, Syracuse tennis has not been able to close out tight matches. Entering Friday’s match against Stanford, the Orange were 0-3 in games decided by three or less points, including a one-point loss to UMass and a two-point loss to conference foe SMU.
Unfortunately for SU (5-7, 1-4 Atlantic Coast), that trend continued in its Friday matchup against the Cardinal (7-6, 3-2 Atlantic Coast). The Orange again fell by two points to Stanford, 4-2.
It looked like a prime opportunity entering the match. The Cardinal have dropped 24 spots in the ITA rankings since the beginning of the season, starting as the 9th best team in the country. Coming into Drumlins on Friday, they had dropped their last two matches to NC State and Pepperdine.
Both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles went down to the wire. No. 3 started strong for Syracuse, as it jumped out to a 2-0 lead. However, the lead didn’t stick. Stanford’s pairing of Sein Myoung and Valerie Glozman came storming back, taking an eventual 5-3 lead. Despite Anastasia Sysoeva and Emma Scaldalai tying the match, Stanford took the point 7-5.
The No. 1 doubles match also resulted in a 7-5 finish, with Stanford again taking the victory. Even with the Orange making another solid comeback bid, it wasn’t enough.
As singles moved into the second sets, Syracuse started to hit its stride. Despite starting down 0-2, Scaldalai and Monika Wojcik propelled the Orange back into the match by winning their respective matches.
Syoseva’s match proved to be the most important. With Stanford taking a 4-2 lead and Serafima Shastova forcing a third set, all eyes were on No. 1 Sysoeva as she took a 5-4 lead off of a controversial call by the judge. Sysoeva needed to win this set to give her team a chance at winning.
As the players went back to the benches before the final stretch of the set, head coach Younes Limam went over to calm his players’ nerves.
“I think it’s always important to go back to what you do well in those tough situations,” Limam said. “Reminding them to take a deep breath, move their feet, and having a short memory.”
Nonetheless, Sysoeva couldn’t hold on, losing 7-5 to ITA’s 30th ranked player, Monika Ekstrand.
With the loss, Syracuse dropped its fourth game by three points or less. Every match Syracuse has won this year has been by more than three.
The trend started in the nailbiter against UMass in early February. The Orange took the Minutemen to the final swing, but inevitably fell flat. In a gritty match against SMU last week, Syracuse left Drumlins in disappointment once again.
As the season progresses, Syracuse will have to find a way to close out close matches and lock down some wins.
“The margins are very small,” Limam said. “It always comes down to a deuce point here and a game here.”
