Staff Writer Athena Ke attended a match from the inaugural tournament this past weekend.

The 2024 Tennis Invitational marked a strong start to the Columbia Lions’ season. This past weekend, Columbia Women’s Tennis (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) hosted Stony Brook, Cornell, Indiana, Wagner, and Hofstra at the Milstein Family Tennis Center. The opening games on Friday featured a Columbia/Stony Brook (0-0, 0-0 CAA) rivalry, with three singles matches taking place on the indoor courts.

Spirits were high two hours in, with Sophia Sturgnell (CC ‘25) putting on a dominant performance and taking a 6-1, 6-2 win. Fellow seniors Carolyn Brodsky (CC ‘25) and Clarine Lerby (CC ‘25) were deep in their respective second sets, with the former in the midst of a nail-biter second set and the latter looking to turn the tides. Brodsky displayed confidence on the court. She maintained strong rallies with her opponent and, using some well-placed forehands, closed out a tight game with a 6-1, 7-5 win. 

Lerby began the fight back with some strong serves against the Seawolves. She cinched some critical points but was down 1-4 at the changeover and was understandably frustrated. All the while, the Lions displayed strong camaraderie and rallied on the sidelines to cheer their teammate on. Out of nowhere, Lerby embarked on a wild streak and tied the game at 5-5. She held remarkable control over the pace of the game, changing up the rhythm every now and then to keep her opponent on her toes. Now with a lead for the first time in this set, she entered into the final game looking comfortable and played with ease to seal the set and match 7-5, 7-5. 

With three singles wins over Stony Brook on the opening day of the Invitational, the Columbia Lions set the stage for an exciting season. As for the three seniors who opened this tournament, they certainly foreshadowed a sensational final season with the team.

Image via Bwarchives