The No. 5 women's tennis team, days after a thrilling 5−4 loss to No. 2 Amherst, had no such surprises in store this weekend, taking care of business 7−2 against No. 10 Middlebury on Friday before dropping a match to top−ranked Williams 8−1 on Saturday.
The tandem of freshman Samantha Gann and sophomore Janice Lam at No. 3 doubles was the sole winner on Saturday against the Ephs, a national powerhouse that has won five of the last 10 national championships. Williams won at all six singles spots, including at No. 1 singles, where Tufts senior tri−captain and national No. 1 Julia Browne fell to her old rival, Williams junior Kristin Alotta — who entered the match ranked 22nd in the nation — 6−4,5−7, 6−3. The loss was Browne's third of the spring season and second during the NESCAC season.
This fall, Browne demolished Alotta in a match at Wesleyan University 6−0, 6−1. But on Saturday, Alotta stepped up her game to prevail in a tight contest that lasted almost three hours.
"It was probably the best match both of us have played all year," Browne said. "Overall I think we both played really good tennis, and I'm looking forward to getting another chance to play her this spring."
Many of Saturday's matches went down to the wire, including the No. 1 Tufts doubles team of Browne and freshman Shelci Bowman losing 9−7, Tufts' No. 2 doubles team of sophomore Lindsay Katz and freshman Eliza Flynn barely dropping their match 8−6 and two other singles matches besides Browne's going to the three−set distance.
Given that the Jumbos had come just a shade away from upsetting Amherst — a team that beat Williams earlier this season — last Tuesday night, the team had expected to finish better against the Ephs.
"Things just seemed to get away from us a little bit. They played better late in the matches," Browne said. "If we see them at NESCACs or nationals it will be very different."
One reason for Tufts' lackluster play might have the quick turnaround following Friday's win at home over Middlebury. The Jumbos bested the Panthers 7−2, winning all six singles matches after falling behind 1−2 in doubles play.
Browne and Bowman lost 8−6 at the top doubles spot, while a less experienced duo of junior Jennifer LaCara and freshman Dana Siegel lost 8−3 at third doubles.
In singles, Browne defeated Middlebury's Victoria Aiello 7−5, 6−2, and the rest of the lineup followed suit. Katz beat Panther Leah Kepping in two tough sets 6−4, 6−4, and in the two singles matches that went to three sets, sophomore Lauren Hollender closed out her opponent 6−0 while Bowman beat her opponent 10−7 in a tiebreaker.
The weekend split gives Tufts a 12−4 overall record and a 5−2 NESCAC tally. The Jumbos will close out their season on Wednesday afternoon against Bates, which is currently last in the conference with a 0−6 NESCAC record.
Then the team will head to the NESCAC Championships, where it will again get the chance to shake Amherst and Williams' firm standing at the top of the conference.
"I think everyone's really looking forward to playing [Williams] again in NESCACs or Nationals," Katz said. "We went into the match with a lot of confidence and thought we had a good chance to win."
