As an out-of-bounds call was overturned in favor of Syracuse’s No. 1 singles player Anna Shkudun on Sunday, her opponent, Quinn Gleason, yelled, “I’m going to win this anyways.”

Gleason’s words echoed throughout Drumlins Country Club. Currently ranked No. 41 in singles matches, she stuck her finger up to signal the ball had landed past the baseline. When the line judge corrected her, Gleason argued with the official.

As Gleason built a 5-3 lead in the second set after winning the first set, a correction from the line judge and an angry response from Gleason led to a point for Shkudun, who eventually won the second set.

Shkudun kept her eyes focused on her opponent. Standing on the baseline, she bent over with her two hands holding the racket tightly, waiting for the next serve. Shkudun’s calmness ultimately led to a comeback victory, and it was the deciding factor in No. 33 Syracuse’s (8-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) 4-3 win over No. 30 Notre Dame (8-4, 3-1 Atlantic Coast).

“Once (Anna) settled it was just a matter of time before she finished,” SU head coach Younes Limam. “Her opponent was dictating (early on) and Anna didn’t panic. She stayed the course and kept fighting.”

As the five singles matches came to a close, eyes shifted towards Shkudun and Gleason’s singles match. The meet was tied three games apiece and the No. 1 singles match would decide which team won.

During each rally, all of Drumlins remained silent. Only an occasional groan from Shkudun could be heard in the building. After each point, the fans would clap and scream loudly, trying to help shift momentum to their respective team.

On a rally that lasted just over a minute, Shkudun hit a ball that landed just out of bounds. Confused by the call, she said, “Are you serious?”

Without missing a beat, Gleason loudly responded, “Yes, I’m serious. Let’s go.”

Shkudun walked back to the baseline and bent her knees. Her face, like stone, was focused on her opponent. The two were tied in their third set.

On multiple plays that ensued in the rest of the third set, Gleason kept blurting out to the line judge, upset at some of the calls. Even the Notre Dame fans on the sidelines yelled, “Can we get a new line judge? Replace him!”

Yet Shkudun stayed focus. She did not show any emotion until match point, where she hit the ball just past the outstretched Gleason. Shkudun let out a scream and pumped her fists in the air, and her team came running over to hug her to celebrate Syracuse’s eighth win of the year.

“My friend knew her and told me to be ready and stay calm. ‘You have to break her,’ she told me,” Shkudun said on her opponent in singles. “She was on the court yelling at me and the referee. I was just trying to stay calm and I knew that this was the key to (winning) against her.”

Published on February 28, 2016 at 6:38 pm

Contact Charlie: csdistur@syr.edu | @charliedisturco