FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University women's tennis program gets its 2018 spring schedule underway Sunday with a contest against Mount St. Mary's.
 
The Patriots and Mountaineers will match up at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center in Washington, D.C. The men will kick off the day at 9:45 a.m., with the women to begin doubles at approximately 11:30 a.m.
 
"I am excited about this season. We are a young team with no seniors, but we have some rapidly improving upperclassmen," head coach Steve Curtis said. "Our goal is to improve each match. We want to be better from week to week, month to month and season to season."
 
Mason's youthful group posted a solid 62-47 singles mark through four spring tournaments, good for a winning percentage of .569.
 
The Patriots' most experienced returner – junior Sydney Green, put together a solid 7-4 mark in fall singles and went a perfect 3-0 to win the 'A' singles flight at the Mount St. Mary's Invite in September to capture the tournament crown. Last spring, Green led the Patriots from the No. 1 singles position and went 10-12 in dual play. She will continue to pace the Green & Gold at the No. 1 spot this season.
 
One of Mason's other most experienced returners is sophomore Rachel Lee, who posted an 8-7 record at No. 3 singles last season. She won four singles matches for the Patriots this past fall.
 
Green and Lee will look to replicate their strong, symbiotic doubles relationship from the 2017 campaign. The pair held down the No. 1 doubles position for the Patriots throughout the season and tallied a solid 11-9 dual mark during the spring season.
 
In addition to the two returners, Mason will work a talented crop of freshmen and veterans into the lineup.
 
Junior Nicole Haigwood went 9-6 in dual singles last year (2-1 at No. 5, 5-5 at No. 6) and performed well in doubles alongside departed senior Morgan Yang. That team posted a 15-6 dual doubles mark (3-2 in A-10 play).
 
Sophomore Liz Lowe also returns after playing No. 6 singles for much of the 2017 spring campaign. She posted a 7-3 mark at No. 6 and won five matches this past fall. Junior Lauren Dupuis won five singles matches during the fall while Sutherlyn Brinn went 4-2.
 
Mason also will work in a talented group of five freshmen into the starting lineup. Brianna Gibbs went 6-5 in singles during the fall slate and teamed with fellow frosh Hannah Cianciola to go 5-1 in doubles. Cianciola also put together a strong 9-5 mark in fall singles.
 
Kayleigh Hahn went 8-4 in fall singles, highlighted by a 4-0 run in the 'E' bracket of the Navy Blue-Gold to claim the tournament title. It marked her second flight victory of the fall.
 
Following in the footsteps of sister Morgan, freshman Hannah Yang looks to continue her family's outstanding legacy in Fairfax. Yang went 6-2 in singles during the fall slate. Fellow freshman Christine McCarthy captured four singles wins in the fall.
 
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