The nationally ranked No. 30 men's tennis team got hot during its spring break trip to Florida, notching wins against non-conference foes LeTourneau and Grinnell. It wasn't all fun in the sun, though, as the Jumbos also recorded their first loss of the season versus Johns Hopkins.
Returning to the Hill over the weekend, the 5-1 Jumbo squad resumed season play on Sunday with a brisk outdoor home match against Brandeis, a team that handed Tufts a close 5-4 loss last season. In last year's decision, the Jumbos dropped all three of their doubles matches. But with a revamped doubles lineup and the help of freshmen Morrie Bossen, Sam Laber and Kai Victoria, the Jumbos sent the Judges packing to the tune of an 8-1 verdict.
"I played No. 1 in singles and I won in a tie-breaker, 11-9," junior tri-captain Jon Trott said. "It was difficult adjusting to playing outdoors in 40 degree weather, but everyone pushed through it and played exceptionally well. Having lost our doubles matches last year against Brandeis, it gave the singles players a lot of momentum after our doubles teams swept them."
Wrapping up its Florida schedule last Tuesday, the team hoped to make it three straight wins by clipping the wings of the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. The nationally ranked No. 17 squad had other plans, handing Tufts its first loss of the season 7-2 despite some standout performances. Victoria and Sophomore Jake Fountain in No. 1 doubles and 10-game undefeated freshman Garrett Schuman in the singles lineup were the silver lining to an otherwise disappointing defeat. In doubles play, the Fountain-Victoria duo upset the No. 11 Johns Hopkins doubles team 8-5 with Fountain's ability to make quick and low returns, while Victoria handled the backcourt with high volleys and fierce serves.
"As a server, I was focused on being aggressive and, in turn, my first serve set up Jake to make some very good volleys, which got the flow of the team going," Victoria said. "The more we played and set up shots for each other, the more our opponents got discouraged. It was a snowball effect. This was the first time Jake and I played together in doubles in a match, and I think we played very coherently."
"I was very impressed with [Victoria and Fountain's] performance in doubles," junior Andrew Rosen added. "They were up against one of the top-ranked doubles teams in the country, and they beat them. Johns Hopkins was a very good team, and I think it could've been a much closer match. They were a very talented team, and the players were solid, but we were coming off of a tough two games, and we were a little burnt out."
As underclassmen have excelled in doubles play, Schuman has found his niche and equal success in the singles lineup. Playing in the No. 5 position, Schuman, who is 10-0 on the season dating back to the fall, recorded the sole win in the singles ladder against Johns Hopkins and clinched the victory for Tufts against Brandeis, giving up just one game to his opponent.
"So far, our new players have proven themselves essential to our overall success as a team," junior tri-captain Daniel Landers said. "It's been huge to get doubles wins this year, which was our weaker unit last season. As for the singles ladder, we have had a lot of success throughout the lineup, and we've seen great performances from our [No. 3-6] players. Our depth is going to be key down the stretch against opponents like Bates and Colby. Players like [Schuman], who is undefeated, are definitely ones to follow as we begin to face our toughest opponents in the coming month."
Leading off the spring break schedule, Tufts matched up against Grinnell and nationally ranked No. 31 LeTourneau in Orlando on Monday and Sunday, respectively. The Jumbos, playing their first matches since October, were forced to make quick adjustments to counter the style of play of two unfamiliar opponents. Moreover, both matches were a test of Tufts' ability to adapt to its surroundings, in this case outdoors in the sweltering heat. Despite Grinnell being unranked, an early-season win against No. 32 Wisconsin-Whitewater put the Pioneers on Tufts' radar. While Grinnell took the lead in doubles matches and played competitively in the singles ladder, Victoria was able to clinch the win in the No. 6 position for the 6-3 victory after coming from behind to win the tie-breaker and third set with strong serves and volleys.
"My match for singles was tough, and I wasn't playing my game well," Victoria said. "My opponent was good at rushing the net, but I was able to battle back, and I pulled out the match in three sets … It felt great to clinch the victory for the team."
Taking on LeTourneau on Sunday, the Jumbos faced a team accustomed to playing in the heat and winning doubles matches. Despite its competitor's 30-6 record in doubles, Tufts was able to notch two wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. Bossen, playing in the No. 3 doubles match, played a pivotal role in securing a 9-7 win on a late break opportunity. Overall, Tufts marked its first win of the spring schedule, 6-3, with successful performances in singles play by sophomore Tony Carucci, Schuman and Victoria, who won their matches in straight sets.
"LeTourneau measured our ability to adapt to playing outdoors," Landers said. "Their team was used to playing outdoors because they are from Texas. We all adjusted pretty well, and I was impressed with our singles lineup that beat their opponents pretty handily, even after playing indoors for the last few months and not being used to the playing conditions."
This Friday, the Jumbos will host NESCAC rival No. 22 Bates. The Bobcats are 5-1 overall, recording just one loss against No. 4 Middlebury over spring break. Last season, the Jumbos fell 7-2, with Trott and the second doubles team of then-freshman Paul Kohnstamm and then-senior Will Fleder (LA '08) picking up the sole wins. Two years ago, however, the Jumbos had a more successful showing, beating the Bobcats 6-3. Arguably one of the most important matches of the season, the outcome may affect Tufts' ranking and its possible entrance into the NESCAC Tournament, which the Jumbos have not made since the 2004-05 season. With a strong start to the spring schedule and the lineup falling into place, the Jumbos look forward to the chance to reclaim their position as a highly competitive squad.
"I know we haven't made NESCACs for a few years and I want to do my best so that I can do my part in bringing this team back to its rightful place in the tournament," Victoria said. "I'm excited to do whatever is needed, playing singles or doubles, to pull it off. I'm confident that as a team, we can maybe not make history, but at least restore our reputation as a very competitive team in the NESCAC."
