The Tufts tennis women's doubles teams are some of the finest in the country, and this spring the team will call on several promising doubles combinations to continue to propel the Jumbos forward. Tufts was ranked No. 14 in the nation in a Dec. 1 poll coming off a very successful fall season where the squad finished second at the NESCAC championship this past October. In the regular season Tufts suffered its only losses to Middlebury and Wellesley.
The women's team will get a chance to play the best this spring. Tufts will be facing some of the top teams in the nation, such as Amherst and Middlebury, at home.
Coach Eng believes Tufts is prepared to meet the challenges of the upcoming season in part because of its strong doubles teams. In the spring season there is more of an emphasis on doubles than in the fall season and Tufts has the depth necessary to win. All three of the doubles teams are extremely competitive.
"Doubles are key right now," Eng said. "If we're going to beat Amherst and Emory, it will come down to the third doubles."
The team of sophomores Jennifer Luten and Kylyn Deary played in the No. 1 doubles slot last fall and compiled an 8-2 overall record and own a career record of 12-2. In second position is the duo of seniors Jennifer Lejb and Neda Pisheva with a 5-4 overall record.
Luten is excited about the doubles team this spring considering how well the team performed in the fall.
"I am looking forward to continuing the season coming off of a great fall," Luten said. She also has hopes of competing in Nationals this spring. "Kylyn and I won the last tournament we played together and we are looking forward to hopefully going to Nationals."
Luten attributes the duo's success to friendship on and off the court.
"Kylyn and I are good friends." Luten said. "Off the court we communicate really well."
Lejb and Pisheva are also close friends who live together off campus in addition to playing on the same doubles team.
The first doubles team is ranked in the top five in the country, and the second doubles team is ranked in the top 10.
The third doubles team is not solid yet. At this time, the third slot is tentatively set to go to senior Ashley Weisman and junior Becky Bram. Weisman was abroad last spring, but played in the fall in the sixth singles position and the third doubles slot.
Bram was abroad this fall, but is an experienced player who will be playing in the No. 3 singles slot in addition to her doubles duty.
All three doubles teams should be forces in every match, which gives Eng a deserved sense of confidence heading into the season.
"It's a tough road to the NCAA tournament," Eng said "and this season will give us a chance to prove to people what we can do."
