The women’s tennis team lost two close Ivy matches this weekend at Harvard (6-7, 2-0) and Dartmouth (11-4, 2-0), bringing the team’s record to 11-5, 1-2.
After losing to Harvard in the fall 7-0, the Red came a lot closer, posting two impressive wins in singles in the 5-2 loss on Friday. In the doubles contests, junior co-captain Suzanne Wright and freshman Akane Kokubo lost a very close match at the first position, 9-7. Sophomores Kate Sternberg and Laura Leigh Tallent prevailed at the second position, winning 8-6. Harvard secured the doubles point by defeating junior Nicole Chiu and freshman Erika Takeuchi at the third position 8-3. In singles, Kokubo and Sternberg came up with straight-set wins at the No. 3 and No. 6 positions, respectively.
“Some of our players played their best tennis ever [this weekend], and it was exciting to see them on a hot streak,” commented head coach Angela Rudert.
On Saturday, the Red lost a another close match at Hanover, 4-3. In doubles, the Red played very competitively at the second and third positions, losing both matches by a score of 9-7.
The singles play also exemplified close play, with three of the matches going to three sets. Last season, Wright accounted for Dartmouth’s Sarita Yardi’s only Ivy loss and was able to defeat her again in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 1 position.
Junior Piper Lucas was also a winner in straight sets at the No. 6 position. Kokubo was a winner in three sets at the No. 3 position, dispatching Jayme Ahmed 6-1, 6-7, 6-1. In the end, Dartmouth prevailed, as Takeuchi took Dartmouth’s Arden Fredeking to three sets before falling 4-6, 6-0, 2-6.
“The match was down to the wire,” Rudert commented. “The homecourt advantage [was a big factor]. Dartmouth had about 50 fans, who were all very loud.”
Despite the losses, Rudert was very pleased with her team’s performance.
“I think the matches taught all our players that just because a team or a player has a ranking doesn’t mean that they are out of reach,” said Rudert.
In what will be their first home matches since Spring Break, the netwomen return home to face No. 70 Brown on Friday and No. 75 Yale on Saturday at Reis Tennis Center.
Archived article by Jonathan Auerbach