Unbeaten women's tennis stamps authority on opposition

Just two weeks away from the New England Championships, the women's tennis team continued to stamp its authority over opponents with two strong wins this week. The Jumbos remained undefeated, following wins against MIT on Thursday and Bowdoin on Saturday. While the team lost its first two matches of the season against Bowdoin, the 7-2 overall victory ran the Jumbos' fall record to 6-0.

Saturday's clash at Bowdoin provided the Jumbos with their first real competition of the season. The number one doubles pair of sophomore Jennifer Lejb and senior co-captain Katie Nordstrom survived a close encounter with Bowdoin's Alexis Bawden and Paulette Hricko, winning 9-8, while the second pair of junior Barclay Gang and sophomore Neda Pisheva prevailed 8-5.

Bowdoin proved even tougher in the singles, with number one Lejb and senior co-captain Iffy Saeed (six) stretched to three sets. Freshmen Rebecca Bram (two) and Lisa Miller (five) suffered their first losses of their young Jumbo careers, losing 6-2, 7-5 and 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 respectively. Gang (three) and Nordstrom (four) finished with more one-sided score lines, though this belied the closeness of the matches.

"We had to fight," Saeed said. "Everyone had a challenging match, which was good, especially with the New England Championships coming up."

With the Championships approaching quickly _ they will be held October 18-20 _ coach Jim Watson will be looking for the women to improve two main parts of their game. While an ongoing focus this season has been the need to keep the ball deeper in the court on a consistent basis, the ability to mix up the pace of the point has become increasingly important.

"They need to have the ability to change the tempo of the point," Watson said. "We got into trouble [against Bowdoin] by using the same pace all the time. It's fine if you're winning the war, but if you're losing the war, you have to do something about it."

Watson is pleased with the effort so far, and feels it is important that the team lost a couple of matches, as it takes away the pressure of trying to be perfect every single time.

"It's nice to not have so much pressure," Nordstrom agreed. "Everyone doesn't feel they have to win every time out to remain perfect."

Earlier in the week, the Jumbos met with MIT in an encounter that featured many close scores, but again resulted in a 9-0 sweep for Tufts, its fifth straight. Backed by three tough but triumphant doubles matches, the team had the advantage going into the singles. The strength of the doubles teams has been a major factor in the Jumbos' success so far, according to Watson.

"The doubles teams are playing pretty well," Watson said. "But I still tell them I think singles is our strength. But to take a 3-0 lead into the singles is an added bonus."

While the doubles pairs have been challenged recently against Bowdoin, MIT and Middlebury (number ones Lejb and Nordstrom have been threatened in matches that could have gone the other way), this can only be beneficial to the team. Following the winter break, the Jumbos will meet Amherst and Williams, traditionally powerful teams. Facing stronger opposition now, the team will hope the hard-fought wins prepare it for the upcoming matches.

In singles action against MIT, Lejb (one) had little trouble with MIT's Julie Koo, triumphing 6-1, 6-0. Saeed (five) was victorious 6-1, 6-1. However Gang (three) was extended to three sets before winning. Freshman Becky Bram (two), Nordstrom (four) and sophomore Trina Spear (six) all won in straight sets.

The team's success was partly due to the member's ability to work together and play off each other's successes. The team regularly has events that forge off-court friendships and improve on-court relationships.

"We're very close," Nordstrom said. "We motivate each other, and seeing each other so motivated helps us individually too."

The Jumbos will meet Wellesley on Wednesday at 3:30pm at Tufts and look to remain perfect this season, as they seek their seventh consecutive victory.