After five grueling matches in as many days, the women's tennis team returned from its Florida spring break trip with confidence as it prepares to open NESCAC play over the weekend.
"It was great to play new opponents for a change," first−year Lauren Hollender said. "Each match was a new and different challenge that made us even more psyched for the season to start."
Playing in Florida, a state with no Div. III schools, the Jumbos were forced to test themselves against some of the top Div. II programs in the country. Tufts opened the week with a decisive 8−1 victory against Northwood University in West Palm Beach, Fla. The team won all three doubles matches and five of six singles matches, with five of the victorious matches including first−year players Hollender, Lindsay Katz and Janice Lam. In strong showings for all, each first−year's singles match included a perfect 6−0 set.
"The three of them are definitely going to be a crucial part to our success this spring," junior tri−captain Julia Browne said.
Coming off its first big win, Tufts was challenged by Lynn University, the second−ranked women's tennis team in Div. II, in its next match. Due to illnesses and lack of players, Lynn was forced to automatically forfeit two matches to the Jumbos. But despite that disadvantage, the Knights routed the Jumbos 6−3 to win their eighth consecutive match. Tufts' sole non−forfeit victory came from Hollender, who defeated senior Christine Johnstone 6−2, 6−1 in fifth−seed singles.
The Jumbos continued to test themselves in another Div. II matchup against nationally ranked No. 24 Nova Southeastern University. Tufts lost two of three doubles matches, with first−years Katz and Lam winning second doubles 8−6. However, the Jumbos came back to win four of six singles matches to top Nova Southeastern 5−4 in a close match.
"This was our best match," Browne said. "The majority of our wins came from our freshmen, which is huge for us as a team because it really shows how deep we are in the lineup, and it gave them a lot of confidence."
With three of five matches under their belt, the Jumbos went up against yet another Div. II powerhouse in fifth−ranked Barry University. The Buccaneers swept the Jumbos in doubles with decisive 8−4, 8−3 and 8−5 wins and outlasted Tufts in five of six singles matches.
"While we didn't win a ton of doubles matches, we were playing really strong teams and putting into matches what we've worked on in practice," Browne said.
"[Doubles improvement] is a big focus," Hollender added. "It's something we really want to work on to get ready for our actual season."
The Jumbos earned their only point in Browne's 6−1, 6−4 defeat of Barry senior Yulia Kashelkina at first singles.
In its fifth and final day of the trip, Tufts matched up against Div. I Cornell University in Melbourne, Fla. on Friday afternoon. With two large rosters, the coaches agreed to score the match as best out of 11 with seven singles matches and four doubles contests.
Although Cornell swept the doubles matches, the third and fourth doubles games came down to the wire, finishing 9−8 and 9−7, respectively. The Jumbos' hard−hitting play earned them a 4−3 overall win in singles, but the three wins for the Big Red were enough for them to clinch the 7−4 victory.
Tufts will return home and begin its NESCAC schedule in Maine on April 3 with matchups against Colby and Bates, stronger from the tough competition faced over spring break.
"I think the team took a lot of confidence away from the trip," Browne said. "We competed really well, and I think we can take a lot from this week into our regular season."
"We did a lot of work with mental toughness," Hollender added. "We hung in there with a lot of tough teams, so it showed that we have a lot of potential to do well in our division. We're excited for the season to start."
