After breaking serve late in the second set of her singles victory against Cornell, freshman Maria Tritou started toward the net with an outstretched hand. Upon arrival, Tritou was met not with handshakes, but measured confusion from the linesman and her opponent.

Winning the break had only put her up 6-5; Tritou had one more game to go.

“When you’re in the motion of the match you get a little bit unfocused,” the freshman said.

Tritou returned to the baseline and served the match out comfortably, running her opponent all over the court before Tritou’s opponent’s last shot fell into the net. The Orange’s No. 4 singles player continued her stride to the front of the court and received her handshake from an opponent three years older.

Syracuse (3-0) coasted to a 6-1 victory over a Cornell (2-1) team that didn’t play any freshmen. The Orange played five freshmen between the singles and doubles roster and they contributed three points on singles and a key win on doubles.

An underclassman tandem of Tritou and sophomore Nicole Mitchell rolled to an easy 6-3 win over a team consisting of a junior and a senior. Their win left the door open for Syracuse to score on doubles after freshmen Dina Hegab and Gabriela Knutson dropped a 6-4 decision in the No. 2 match.

Upperclassmen Anna Shkudun and Valeria Salazar won their doubles match, when the latter slammed home an overhead on match point, giving SU an early edge in the meet.

Knutson and Hegab both responded to their slip-up in doubles with straight-set victories in singles. The former’s 6-2, 6-3 drubbing against a junior in the No. 3 match.

“I was really on top of my game,” Knutson said. “I was hitting everything I wanted to.”

She comfortably played the power game she’s accustomed to. Knutson sent her opponent running from alley to alley with groundstrokes until she charged the service line. From there, Knutson staked herself to a 6-3, 3-0 advantage by ripping forehand winner.

Hegab contrasted her doubles counterpart with a precise, spin-driven game in the No. 6 match. Tied 4-4 in the second set, Hegab went out to midcourt for a return and unleashed a slice backhand that died out at the other service line.

Her opponent didn’t even try to return it.

“We’re young but the girls on this team have a lot of experience,” said head coach Younes Limam. “They might be freshmen, but they know what they’re doing out there.”

Published on January 31, 2016 at 6:35 pm

Contact Chris: cplucey@syr.edu