Every good team is apt to run into early season struggles, but that doesn't mean they always do. Case in point: The women's tennis team. In its first two matches, this historically good team has done everything but struggle. Its second consecutive 9-0 win, this time over NESCAC foe Colby College at home on Saturday, upped the Jumbos' record to 2-0 (1-0 NESCAC).
Following a season-opening win at Babson, Colby moved to 1-1 (0-1 NESCAC) on the season in the loss.
The Jumbos picked up right where they left off from the 2003-04 season. Veteran players have moved up and several freshmen have filled out the lineup to compensate for the loss of captain Barclay Gang to graduation, and the absence of juniors Becky Bram and Lisa Miller, who are studying abroad.
First year head coach Doug Eng has also stepped up to play a key role thus far. He is quite aware of how talented the missing players are, but is impressed with how well the team has filled in its gaps.
"I think right now the team is very close to last year's [ability]," Eng said. "We have tremendous depth."
Although the victory over Colby was not as clean of a sweep as the Jumbos' shut-out win over Smith last week, the team fought through trouble when necessary to take all nine points. At second and third singles, senior tri-captain Jennifer Lejb and sophomore Kylyn Deary both took three sets, but managed to secure wins.
The doubles teams, who are still fine-tuning their games, also had a bit more trouble on Saturday than they did against Smith. Sophomores Deary and Jen Luten, playing in the first position, posted an 8-6 victory, while senior teams of tri-captains Lejb and Neda Pisheva, along with tri-captain Trina Spear and classmate Ashley Weisman, were also victorious.
Much of the team's emphasis in practice early in the season has been on doubles play. Later in the year, securing points in doubles competition will be crucial in competition against top opponents such as Amherst, Williams and Middlebury. Eng knows how much time it takes to build a cohesive doubles partnership.
"We've spent a lot of time on doubles," he said. "We're working on a lot of different formations that other teams don't use. What [also] really works well in doubles is chemistry and communication."
Luten, who teamed with Deary for a win at first doubles, also emphasized the importance of team chemistry in two-person matches.
"Kylyn and I played together this summer in a lot of tournaments," Luten said. "We're really good friends, so it does help."
Luten, playing at first singles, continued her early-season dominance, with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Colby senior Sarah Hughes (not the figure skater). At this early point in the season, Luten has dropped only one game in four total sets.
Spear also had plenty of success on Saturday, also running her record to 2-0 with a fourth singles victory over Mule junior Ginny Raho (6-0, 6-1).
Rounding out the singles lineup, freshman Lani Ackerman topped Colby senior Lauren Uhlmann by a score of 7-5, 6-3.
With their first three-set contests of the season under their belts, Lejb and Deary got a preview of the tougher competition that lies ahead. While nobody wants to play a grueling three-set match, that type of play is frequent against strong competitors.
After dropping a first set tie-breaker, Lejb rallied back to beat Mule sophomore Allison Dunn (6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 6-3). Deary ran into trouble in her second set, but got back on track to take the third set, and the match, against Colby sophomore Tracy Nale by a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
In reflecting on their season-opening wins over Smith and Colby, Luten had little to complain about.
"I think we're all playing very well," the sophomore said. "And I think we have great team chemistry as well."
Up next for the Jumbos is a NESCAC showdown at home against Bates today. The match will mark the team's second attempt to play on the Voute Courts, as Saturday's inclement weather forced the action indoors to the Gantcher Center.
Deary, who defeated Bates sophomore Emma Nochomovitz last fall at fifth singles (6-1, 6-0), is the only Jumbo likely to have a rematch from last year, this time in the third position.
Also on the horizon are this weekend's ITA Championships, hosted by Williams. With a big week of conference action and tournament play ahead, Eng can only be pleased with what his team has shown him thus far.
