Newburgh, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College Women's Tennis team opens the 2019 season and plays the first of nine home matches on Friday when it plays host to local foe Bard. The match is set for 4:30 p.m. at on the campus tennis courts.
 
At A Glance: The Mount returns nine players from the 2018 roster, including a trio of All-Skyline Conference performers.
 
Senior Michelle Carnovale (Massapequa, N.Y.) is back for her senior season after collecting First Team All-Skyline Conference honors for the third time and Skyline Conference Player of the Year honors for the second time in her career in 2018. Playing at the top singles and doubles flights, Carnovale posted 15 combined victories, including a 9-1 singles record.
 
A pair of sophomores, Sarah Canzone (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Katie Murray (Highland Mills, N.Y.), are coming off rookie campaigns that saw them earn Second Team All-Skyline Conference recognition. Canzone posted a 9-2 singles record, including a 7-1 mark at the fifth position, while Murray finished the year 9-1, including a perfect 6-0 at the sixth flight.
 
Junior Victoria Clay (Saint James, N.Y.) recorded four wins at the second singles position as a sophomore in 2018 and teamed with Carnovale at the top singles spot to score six victories for the Knights. Senior Miyanna Vernon (Liberty, N.Y.) also returns after scoring four victories at fourth singles in 2018 for the Mount.
 
Other returnees for the Mount include: Antionetta Capone (Howard Beach, N.Y.), Jessalyn Goetz (Bethel, N.Y.), Julia Loda (North Haven, Conn.) and Emily Quinn (Montgomery, N.Y.).
 
Newcomers: The Mount welcomes three newcomers to the fold in 2019 and looks for each to make an impact to the lineup from the start. The additions of Gracie Monahan (Deer Park, N.Y.), Katrina Imperio (Campbell Hall, N.Y.) and Tiana Porco (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) add depth to a talented returning core.
 
The Schedule: The Mount plays nine of its 12 regular season matches on campus, with the lone road tilts coming at Sage (9/14), at Sarah Lawrence (9/28) and at Purchase (10/9). Home league matches include Yeshiva (9/22), Manhattanville (9/24), Farmingdale State (10/5), St. Joseph's-L.I. (10/12) and St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (10/13). The Skyline Conference Championship gets underway on October 24 with the conference championship trophy handed out on October 26.
 
What's Next: Following Friday's season opener, the Mount will head to Sage on September 14 for a 1:00 p.m. match with the Gators.