Chestnut Hill College Athletics

Dagneaux and Sousa Celebrate CACC Player and Rookie of the Week Awards

New Haven, Conn. - (3/23/2021) – Chestnut Hill College has enjoyed a 2-1 start to their 2021 schedule, earning victories over National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I opponent Loyola University (Md.) (W, 4-3 on March 13) and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rival, Dominican College (W, 4-3 on March 21). Senior Kiki Dagneaux (Saint-Gervasy, France) and freshman João Sousa (Pontevedra, Spain) both played a large role in the victories and in doing so, respectively earned themselves the CACC Men’s Tennis Player and Rookie of the Week awards.
 
Chestnut Hill College (2-1) hosted Loyola University (Md.) in a dual-match home opener on Saturday, March 13. The Griffins and Greyhounds split the twin bill with visitors winning the women's side by a 6-1 edge and the Scarlet and Gold scoring a victory on the men's side, 4-3. The match came down to the wire with freshman Domagoj Dugandzic (Stuttgart, Germany) and junior Mark Gladkyy (Franklinville, N.J.) respectively scoring the game-winning points in the fourth (6-1, 6-4) and fifth (6-4, 6-4) singles flights.
 
The Griffins overcame a default loss in the third flight with doubles wins in the first (6-3) and second (7-6) flights, 1-0. Dagneaux and Sousa combines for the 7-6 win at number two doubles. The point would come in handy as the Greyhounds was awarded the sixth singles flight by default, 1-1. Dagneaux got the Griffins the lead back with his 6-0, 6-4, win at number two doubles, 2-1, but consecutive Greyhound victories in the first (6-3, 6-3) and third (6-4, 6-1) singles made the concluding wins from Dugandzic and Gladkyy all the more paramount, 4-3.
 
This past Saturday, March 20, Chestnut Hill College secured the team point despite forfeiting number three doubles. Dagneaux and Sousa again provided a big victory at number two doubles, 6-4. The point proved crucial as the Griffins split singles play with Dominican, 4-3. Junior Thomas Pitchley (London, England), Dagneaux, and Sousa each played a role in two Scarlet and Gold points as they provided the necessary individual victories to outlast the Chargers. Dagneaux won number two singles (6-0, 6-1), and Sousa won number three singles (6-4, 6-4).
 
Chestnut Hill College continues their CACC schedule on Thursday, March 25, when they host the University of the Sciences in a 2:30 p.m. match.