If interuniversity varsity sport is about getting an education on the playing field, then the Warriors Women's Tennis Team packed a lot of learning into the past weekend.
 
With three matches over three days, the women faced a myriad of challenges and came away with two wins and one loss.
 
Friday, Sept. 21
Waterloo 4, UOIT 2
 
Travelling to Oshawa on Friday to play against UOIT indoor on clay, the women had to adapt to a surface they normally don't play on. Clay tends to slow the game down and favour the more patient, tactical player. The women patiently won four of their six singles matches.


Playing at number five, Lucy Yao (Whitby/) faced a cagey player who made Lucy work for every point. Lucy lost the match, but got a degree in steadiness.  Win or lose, the team was impressed with Lucy's determination in a challenging match.
 
Jessica Dam (Ottawa/) was slated to be a singles alternate against UOIT, but Vanessa Diaconu (Toronto/) jammed her finger in the warm up. Jessica stepped in and won her match 6-0, 6-1.
 
Saturday, Sept. 22
York 5, Waterloo 2
 
On Saturday, the Warriors played their second away game of the weekend, taking on the Lions at York, where thunderous cheers could be heard coming from the Waterloo vs. York football game being played close by. While the Warriors football team was spoiling York's homecoming weekend celebrations, it was not to be the case for the Women Warriors on the tennis courts. Playing outside at York, the women had to learn how to deal with sunny, blustery conditions after practicing and playing indoors. 
 
York took the first point by winning all three doubles matches. Lucy Yao (Whitby/) and Vanessa Diaconu (Toronto/) won their singles matches for Waterloo. Lucy commented on her education from the night before at UOIT, “I just kept getting it back and I let her make the mistakes.”
 
Sunday, Sept. 23
Waterloo 5, McMaster 2
 
Back in the familiar surroundings of the Waterloo Tennis Club bubble, the women started their competition against McMaster on Sunday with wins in all three doubles matches followed by Nicole Holland (Oakville/), Courtney Winter (Toronto/), Lucy Yao (Whitby/) and Vanessa Diaconu (Toronto/) all winning  their singles matches.


Playing at number two and with her parents watching, Nicole Holland (Oakville/) used her growing match confidence to overcome a second set set-back and take her match in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.
Vanessa Diaconu (Toronto/), at number six, notched another singles win. She is three-for-four this season. With a style that is all her own, Vanessa is playing confidently but is hungry for even greater challenges. 


At number four, Courtney Winter (Toronto/) won two of her three singles matches over the weekend and came very close to going three-for-three if not for a tight three-set loss at York.


Team co-captain Alison Drainie (Toronto/), playing at number one, stuck to her guns and kept up an attacking game plan in her match. Even though she lost, Alison showed that she is willing to take risks and push herself in order to become a better player in the long run.
 
Coach Gary Winter summed up the weekend, “All-in-all the women are showing lots of determination to walk that often unpredictable balance between playing to win and playing to improve. I'm curious to see how their recent experiences will serve them in their next matches.”