Women's Tennis | Tufts earns No. 1 seeds in regional tournament

    Boasting the top-seeded players in both the singles and doubles draws, the women's tennis team is headed to Cambridge, Mass. this morning to participate in the season-opening Intercollegiate Tennis Association New England Championships. The Jumbos will send a total of five representatives to the tournament, which begins today with first- and second-round action and continues through Sunday's championship rounds.
    Junior tri-captain Julia Browne is the defending champion and No. 1 seed in the singles draw, which features 64 of the top players in the region. In addition, Tufts' tandem of Browne and senior tri-captain Meghan McCooey received top billing on the doubles side after reaching the finals of the event a year ago.
    "When I looked at the draws, I was honored to be seeded first," Browne said. "When I go into a tournament seeded, it always puts a little bit of pressure on me because of what people are expecting, but I try to just forget that when I got out there because everyone I play against is going to be a tough match. My draw isn't going to be easier than anyone else's."
    McCooey, looking to improve upon a quarterfinal run she put together in 2007, is the No. 6 seed on the singles side. Also representing Tufts in the singles field are junior Edwina Stewart and a pair of freshmen, Janice Lam and Lindsay Katz, who will be making their collegiate debuts.
    "I think it's a great opportunity for both the freshmen to be able to play in this tournament and see the other schools and the other players," Browne said. "These are some of the strongest players in the conference and in the region. They're probably going to have some nerves with this being their first college match, but they're both very good players, so hopefully they go into the tournament and make some noise."
    Opposite Browne and McCooey's half of the doubles draw is the Jumbos' other representative team in the field, the first-time pairing of Katz and Stewart.