The Hillsdale College women's tennis team got the 2025-26 campaign off to a strong start at home on Saturday and Sunday, with solid performances in the Chargers' annual Summer Invite.

All of Hillsdale's top eight singles players won at least one match in the event, which pitted Chargers players against opponents from Saginaw Valley State, Ferris State and Lawrence Tech.

The Chargers had a finalist in both of the top two singles flights. Junior Ane Dannhauser took down Paola Herrera Rivera of Lawrence Tech 6-2, 6-0 and Yadi Mara of Ferris St. 6-1, 6-4 before falling in the A Bracket final, while freshman Dimitra Papastavrou had an impressive debut, beating Rocio Lopez Alcerro of Lawrence Tech 6-1, 6-1 and Anastasia Diamantopoulos of SVSU in a 6-2, 1-6, 10-5 thriller to reach the B Bracket final.

Sophomore Briana Rees won her opening round match in the A Bracket, 6-2, 6-3, over Claudia Calabuig Patino of Lawrence Tech as well for Hillsdale, while sophomore Emma Palus picked up a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Ainzley Zulueta of Ferris State in the B Bracket as well.

All four Chargers in the C and D singles brackets won their opening round match -- sophomore Julia Zlateva taking a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Lydia Liong of Saginaw Valley St. and freshman Esther Sura winning 6-1, 6-2 over Natalie Schoenherr of SVSU in the C bracket, and senior Isabella Spinazze winning 6-4, 6-1 over Irene Latorre Barreiro of SVSU and senior Megan Hackman winning 6-1, 6-1 over Taylor Moore of Lawrence Tech in the D bracket.

In doubles play, Hillsdale's doubles team of Sura and Zlateva reached the B Bracket final with a 6-3 win over a team from SVSU and a 6-1 win over a team from Ferris to earn runner-up honors. The Chargers' A doubles team of Dannhauser and Rees won two of three matches to place third in that bracket, with a 6-0 win over a Lawrence Tech team and a 6-4 win over a team from Ferris. Hillsdale's doubles team of Spinazze and Papastavrou also picked up an A doubles win over a Lawrence Tech squad, 6-2, and Hillsdale's B doubles team of Palus and Hackman picked up a 6-3 win over an SVSU squad as well.

Hillsdale's solid start should encourage the Chargers as they continue fall play two weeks from now, with another four-team home invitational set over two days on Sept. 19 and 20. Following that event, Hillsdale will wrap up the fall at the ITA Midwest Regional on Oct. 4-6.