After a decisive 7-2 victory over the White Mules of Colby last Saturday, the women's tennis team is once again preparing to go north. This weekend the team will participate in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) tournament hosted by Bowdoin College.
The ITA tournament features all of the NESCAC schools, as well as many other top Division III programs from the Northeast.
The tournament is unique because it features a draw, instead of the standard dual match format. The tournament spans three days and attracts many of the top players in the area.
"This is going to be the top competition for the region. Every match will be a tough match," Coach Kate Bayard said. "It will be exciting to see how the team does in that competitive setting."
"This match is the first big test against a lot of other strong players," senior co-captain Lisa Miller said. "And we're hoping to step up to the challenge."
This is Miller's first ITA tournament and she is looking forward to the experience.
"I am expecting to play strongly and confidently as I have done in my first couple matches," she said.
The Jumbos have high expectations for this year and want to use this tournament to showcase their talent to their competition.
"We are all going into this with a positive standpoint, we could do very well," senior co-captain Becky Bram said. "I'm expecting a lot out of the weekend."
In last year's ITA event, many Jumbos had quality performances. None of them, however, are on the team's roster this fall.
Junior Jen Luten, who is currently studying abroad in Rome, was the tournament's top seed and finished in second place. Jen Lejb, a May 2005 graduate, also excelled, winning three matches before succumbing in the quarterfinals.
Without Luten, Lejb and junior Kylyn Deary, who like her All-American compatriot Luten is abroad in Rome, Tufts brings a vastly different team to Brunswick, Maine.
As a result of the draw format, the Jumbos can only enter four singles players and two doubles teams. The traveling squad includes, Bram, Miller, sophomore Megan Gentzler and freshmen Mari Homma and Jessica Knez.
"The freshmen have been playing really well and been a really strong addition," Bram said.
Bayard said she is very impressed with the freshmen's game.
"I really like the way that [Knez and Homma] have been playing and how their games compliment each other on the court," she said.
The Jumbos are coming to the tournament following a dominating 9-0 win over the Pioneers of Smith College and a 7-2 win over the Mules. Next on the schedule is a Thursday match against the M.I.T. Engineers.
Despite losing six years straight, including a 6-3 win last fall, M.I.T. has historically played Tufts very close.
Bram has high hopes for the Jumbos squad this fall, despite the missing players.
"We're not going to let down at all, we still have an opportunity to beat everyone we play," she said.<$>
