The Jumbos started off the second half of their season on the right foot, pushing their record to 6-3 with a dominant 8-1 victory over Conn. College on Wednesday.
Tufts ended the fall semester with a resounding 9-0 loss to Amherst on Dec. 7 and wanted to start the spring semester off on a positive note. With the return from abroad of their ace, junior Jake Gross, the Jumbos were optimistic about their chances at Conn. College.
Armed with a 26-12 career record, Gross played from the No. 1 spot, against Conn. College junior Rob Purple. At the last meeting between these two teams, in November, Purple faced-off against sophomore Chris Delaney, who was then competing at the top slot. Delaney defeated Purple in four games 9-6, 9-10, 9-3, 9-3. This time around, it was Gross who handed Purple a loss in three-straight games by a score of 9-6, 9-1, 9-0.
"It's obvious that the team is stronger," coach Doug Eng said. "They're very strong players."
Jumbo junior Nelson Schubart, starting at the fifth position, also recently returned from studying abroad and was the only Jumbo to record a loss during the match. He dropped his first game to Camel senior Dan Bloom but rebounded to win the next two. Unable to secure the final game needed to clinch the match, he ultimately fell 9-6, 7-9, 7-9, 9-2, 9-4.
"[Schubart and I] wanted to come out strong and show that we're back and we're a team to be reckoned with this winter," Gross said. "The team had a great first half and now we're looking towards the future."
After coming off of a 4-9, 3-9, 4-9 loss in his last match against Amherst, senior co-captain Dan Karlin played in the No. 6 spot and defeated his opponent, freshman Will Moger, 9-0 9-4 9-7.
The Jumbo freshmen had a strong showing in the match, with John Subranni, Scott Leighton, and Max Dalury, starting at the No. 4, 7, and 8 spots, respectively. Subranni overcame his opponent, junior John Evans, in three-straight games, 9-5 9-0 9-5, while Leighton downed Conn. College senior Ned Minevitz by a narrower score of 10-8, 10-8 9-1. Dalury however, lost the first game but regained his composure to win the next three, 2-9, 10-8, 9-6, 10-8.
Delaney played in the second slot for the first time this season, after starting at No. 1 throughout the first half of the season. In his last match against Amherst, he lost 6-9, 9-3, 9-2, 9-2, but his performance against the Camels showed marked improvement, as he routed junior Wade Mynatt by a score of 9-5 9-1 9-0.
"It was a high quality match," Eng said. "Even though we played them earlier in the season, the intensity levels this time were much greater."
The Jumbos have a long road ahead of them, however. Tonight they will hit the road and face-off against NESCAC rival Bowdoin, followed by a trip to the Yale Round Robin where they will take on Rochester, Franklin & Marshall, and Hamilton on Saturday and Sunday.
"We have a big weekend coming up," Gross said. "The No. 1's at those schools are all very accomplished players and we need to prepare both mentally and physically. The pressure is definitely on us, but I think we'll be successful."
"Our fitness and our shots are great," Eng added. "We're just trying to play smart, stick to our game plans and stay healthy. Whichever team stays healthiest has the advantage.
"The majority of the upcoming matches are tough," he continued. "We have to beat everyone on the road, which makes it more difficult. It all comes down to how much we truly want it."
