Singles ready to dominate

Tufts women's tennis enters its spring season with only two singles losses to its name. With a fall singles record of 46-2 in dual meets, the Jumbos displayed depth through all six positions. In those 48 singles matches, Tufts players combined to lose only 12 sets.

Playing her six fall matches in the number one position, junior Jennifer Lejb outplayed the best competition opposing teams had to offer with a 6-0 record. In the team's most challenging match of the fall, at Middlebury on September 28, Lejb rebounded from being shut out in the first set with a 0-6, 6-3, 6-1 triumph. Tufts went on to win the match 5-4.

Sophomore Becky Bram went 5-1 in the second position and filled in for Lejb once with a win at first singles. Bram displayed perseverance in a match against Bowdoin on Oct. 4, where she battled back from a slow start to a three-set victory, 4-6, 7-6, 7-5. Her one appearance at first singles came two days earlier and resulted in an easy 6-0, 6-1 victory at MIT in non-conference action.

One of two Jumbos to play in all eight singles matches, freshman Jennifer Lutten opened her Tufts career with an 8-0 record playing in the first three singles positions. Lutten went the entire fall season without losing a set and promises to be a fixture of Tufts tennis for years to come. Her one appearance at first singles came at Wellesley where she handily won 6-0, 6-2.

Senior captain Barclay Gang posted a 5-1 record in the fall, primarily playing fourth singles. She made one appearance at second singles, clawing back to secure a 2-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory in three sets at Wellesley. Gang hopes to make the spring of her final season at Tufts a memorable one.

Rounding out Tufts' regular singles players are sophomore Lisa Miller and freshman Kylyn Deary. Both were undefeated in the fall, with Miller going 6-0 and Deary going 8-0. In fact, Miller played all six of her matches without losing a single set. Deary lost only one set in her eight wins, having to fight hard at fifth singles to lock up a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win in the Middlebury match.

Although the Jumbos have enjoyed their success, they know there is never time to take it easy.

"We can't relax on the court just because we might see our teammates doing well," Lejb said. "You have to have the attitude that every single match counts."

Tufts' singles players will have to rise to the occasion this spring, as they will encounter some stiff competition. The Jumbos, ranked third nationally, will face number one Emory, number eight Williams, and number 11 Amherst.

The team is especially excited for its meeting with Emory, which will make the trip from Georgia for a non-conference showdown on Friday, April 9.

"We're so excited that Emory is coming up," Lejb said. "We love the challenge of playing against them, and we know we have great potential for success."