The women's tennis team's season ended Saturday morning at Williamstown, Mass. at the hands of NESCAC nemesis Williams in the NCAA Northeast Region championship. The Jumbos' 7-2 loss followed an easy 8-1 victory over Vassar Friday night in the opening round.
The victory sends Williams on to the national quarterfinals at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Tufts finished its season at 11-3, although individuals could be selected to play at Rhodes in the singles and doubles tournaments. This is the fourth straight season the Jumbos have reached the regional final, although three times in that span Williams has ended their season there.
The Ephs earned the doubles point by sweeping all three matches. Steph Hall and Kate Troy topped junior Jen Lejb and freshman Jen Luten 8-5 at the first doubles, while Julie Mallory and Alex MacLennan beat senior captain Barclay Gang and junior Neda Pisheva 8-0 at the second spot and Caroline Wasserman and Brittany Binet won 8-2 over sophomores Becky Bram and Lisa Miller at the third slot.
"It was disappointing for us to lose 8-0 because we beat them last time," Gang said. "They just came out aggressively and played very well and we didn't match them."
In singles, Lejb fell 7-6 (2), 6-4 at number one to Hall, while Luten also lost a close match, 7-6 (4), 0-6, 1-0 (6) to Mallory right behind her at number two.
"It was tough," Luten said. "We had a great Friday and a great season on the whole. Saturday just wasn't as good."
Bram posted a 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (5) victory at number three over MacLennan and Miller won 6-2, 6-4 at number five over Wasserman to give the Jumbos their two points on the day. But Gang (6-1, 6-1) and freshman Kylyn Deary (6-0, 6-3) lost at the four and six spots to Troy and Binet, respectively.
"On Saturday they stepped up and we didn't," Gang said. "We definitely thought we had a chance since we lost to them 5-4 last week."
"Williams had a lot of answers," coach Jim Watson admitted. "We got down early in doubles and had to play catch-up."
The Jumbos had more success against Vassar the previous day. Only Jen Lejb's retirement at the top spot kept the Jumbos from a perfect shutout win. Lejb had a virus and, once each of her Jumbo teammates had wrapped up their victories, retired to save herself for Saturday.
Luten (6-2, 6-4), Bram (6-3, 6-1), Gang (6-0, 7-5), Miller (6-2, 6-2), and Deary (6-3, 6-1) all recorded straight set victories.
"Everyone played very well on Friday," Gang said. "We were pumped up and we breezed through the match."
"Vassar was a solid, scrappy team," Watson said. "But they lacked the firepower of Williams, and we were able to exploit the fact that we could attack them."
At doubles, Lejb and Luten took out Vassar's Debbie Sharnak and Jessica Shofler 8-6 at number one, Gang and Pisheva won 8-4 over Kelly Graham and Katy Robinetter at number two, and Bram and Miller prevailed 8-3 over Anna Will and Robin Chu at the third slot.
"When you wind up 11-4 and third in the best region in the nation, it's a satisfying season," Watson said. "We need to do some things to take that next step next year, but it was a rewarding season."
"I'm sad for myself that it's over," said Gang, whose Jumbo career has come to a close. "But I'm excited for the girls for next year. They have a great team coming back."
