After losing its first NESCAC match at national No. 2 Amherst on April 8, the women's tennis team rebounded yesterday, trouncing Conn. College 8-1 at Voute Courts.
The Jumbos advanced their record to 7-3 this spring, 9-4 overall and 5-2 in NESCAC play. Aside from the 7-2 loss to the Lord Jeffs last week, Tufts' only other loss came at the hands of NESCAC foe Williams during the fall.
The squad swept the doubles play to start the match and rolled from there, giving up a combined eight doubles games to the Camels while tallying 24 wins of their own. The pair of senior co-captain Andrea Cenko and junior Mari Homma were in a jam in their first doubles match, but they gutted out an 8-5 win.
"Doubles was great," Cenko said. "Mari was spectacular."
"I thought they played really well," freshman Julia Browne added. "Their opponents were tough, but they figured out how to pull it out. They stood out to me."
The sophomore team of Meghan McCooey and Erica Miller took the court as the No. 2 team and took the proset 8-2 over their Conn. College opponents, their ninth consecutive win together at the second doubles slot. No. 3 doubles saw Browne and classmate Edwina Stewart make short work of their opponents, winning 8-1.
"Our doubles match was really good," Browne said. "We had chemistry and both played well."
Converting their solid doubles play to singles, the Jumbos captured all but one match. At first singles, Browne held off a comeback from Conn. College freshman Becca Heupel. Browne took the first set 6-2 but lost a lead in the second, eventually dropping the set 4-6.
Heupel appeared to have the momentum going into a third-set super-tiebreak. The Camel first-year won the first two points and at one point led 5-3, but Browne rallied back to win 10-6, finishing off the match with a clean winner.
"In the second set, [Heupel] played better," Browne said. "I give her credit, but I finally figured how to win. I got down 5-3 [in the third], and I just took a few seconds to relax. I knew every point was going to be important, so I stayed really focused and somehow ran down every ball."
Meanwhile, McCooey continued her success at No. 2, winning the first set 6-3 only to have her opponent default, giving the sophomore the win.
Miller cruised at the third spot with a 6-3, 6-1 win, while Cenko's match also went to a third-set super-tiebreak at No. 4 singles. Like Browne, the senior co-captain pulled out the victory - 5-7, 6-1, 10-7.
"Coach [Kate Bayard] said we need to solidify our wins more convincingly," McCooey said. "We're capable of it - we have the skill."
"We all struggle a little bit with confidence, but this win should definitely give us more," Browne added. "As a team, we need to continue to do what we're doing."
The most convincing singles victory of the day came from junior Mari Homma at fifth singles who stormed to a win in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
"We're trying to work on mental toughness," Cenko said. "Mari definitely demonstrated it today."
The lone loss for Tufts came at sixth singles, where Camel freshman Caroline Barone downed Stewart 6-1, 7-6(2).
The Jumbos found themselves playing their first outdoor match at home of the spring season on the Voute Courts and seemed comfortable, finally escaping the confines of the Gantcher Center where all their indoor home matches had taken place earlier in the season.
"I love it outside," Browne said. "The courts are slower, and there's a wind factor. You can't hit as many winners because the wind moves the ball around. There are longer points, so you have to earn it. At Gantcher there are shorter points, and it just takes a couple hits before the point
is over."
