Tennis

Tennis

Women's Tennis | Eighth place out of 22 for Jumbos at New England Championships

October 18

This past weekend the women's tennis team ended its fall season at the New England Championships at Amherst College. Rain once again drove play indoors, and matches were separated to three different playing locations. However, the Tufts team played well, with five out of six singles players and all three doubles teams advancing beyond the first round. The New England Championships divides players into six flights for singles and three flights for doubles. A draw is formed within each flight, with points being awarded for each round advanced. The team that finishes with the most total points wins the tournament. Tufts finished eighth out of 22 teams with thirteen total points. "In terms of players, we played really well," freshman Jessica Knez said. "But our overall results weren't as good as we had hoped." This may have been due to a tough draw received by the Jumbos. Even though only one Jumbo, Elyse Piker, advanced past the quarterfinals, six out of nine Jumbo players lost to the eventual champion or eventual runner-up. Senior co-captain Becky Bram played in the first flight of singles. Bram breezed by junior Jaime Weiss of Wheaton in the first round (6-0, 6-0) before succumbing to the eventual champion, junior Beret Remak of Connecticut College (6-1, 7-5.) The top doubles team of Bram and Knez advanced two rounds, beating sophomore Caitlyn Leone and freshman Christina Consoles from Roger Williams (8-2) and the Colby tandem of junior Tracy Nale and senior Ginny Raho (9-7). Knez, playing in the second flight, advanced to the quarterfinals after a first-round bye and a second-round victory over freshman Ania Preneta of Wesleyan (6-3, 7-6 (3)). Her tournament ended there, however, in a loss (6-3, 6-3) to Amherst sophomore Monica Snyder. Piker advanced the furthest of any Jumbo, reaching the semifinals of the sixth singles flight. She defeated Colby freshman Nicole Veilleux, MIT junior Joanna Mackay, and Trinity junior Lindsay Ruslander, before finally falling to freshman Rachel Waldman of Bowdoin (6-2, 6-4). Rounding out the rest of the Jumbos were sophomore Lani Ackerman advancing to the quarterfinals, junior Andrea Cenko advancing one round and sophomore Megan Gentzler falling in the first round. The other doubles teams also had some success. Both Cenko and freshman Mari Homma and Gentzler and junior Silvia Schmid advanced one round, in the second and third flights, respectively. "The team did awesome; everyone did really well," said Bram. "I was really impressed by how the whole weekend turned out." This tournament marks the end of the fall season for the women's tennis team. The team, missing several key players who are studying abroad, played extremely well with the help of several key underclassmen. Knez played third singles and second doubles most of the season before an injury to senior co-captain Lisa Miller forced her to step up to second singles and first doubles. Homma also played some singles matches as well as some second and third doubles. Gentzler spent a lot of time at fourth singles and consistently played doubles as well. Sophomores Ackerman and Cenko also made big contributions as the season wore on, especially after the injury to Miller. "We didn't really know what to expect [coming in]," said Gentzler. "But the season went really well. With the return of the three juniors who are currently abroad, and with the multitude of underclassman talent, the team has the potential to have a very strong spring season. Even with the success the team has enjoyed this fall, Knez has even higher expectations for the spring. "We're going to be much stronger in the spring with a lot more depth on the team," said Knez. "And I'm really excited for everyone to improve more over the winter."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Tufts moves indoors, easily defeats NYU and Trinity despite missing top player

October 12

Despite the challenges of playing inside due to rain and losing senior co-captain Lisa Miller to injury, the women's tennis team triumphed in a doubleheader against Trinity and NYU this past Saturday, beating the Bantams and the Bobcats, 6-2 and 6-3, respectively. Leading the way for the Jumbos in the Trinity match was senior co-captain Becky Bram. Bram won her singles match against Trinity sophomore Brenna Driscoll (6-4, 7-5) and her doubles match with freshman Jessica Knez, (8-4) over Driscoll and senior Melissa White. Also winning for the Jumbos were sophomores Megan Gentzler (7-6 (6), 7-6 (6) and Andrea Cenko (7-5, 6-2), junior Silvia Schmid (6-4, 6-2) and the doubles team of freshman Mari Homma and sophomore Alana Ackerman (8-4). The injury to Miller forced the rest of the team to step up, especially Knez. Only in her first year, Knez, has played a big role for the Jumbos, and due to the Miller's injury, has moved into second singles and first doubles. "We did incredibly well [even without Lisa,]" Knez said. "Everyone in the lineup had to move up a spot." The team had prepared for the forecast of rain and had practiced inside earlier in the week. There is a significant difference between the feel of indoor and outdoor courts and the preparation paid off. "[The rain] didn't really affect us that much," Bram said. "We knew there was a possibility of rain so we had prepared and played inside." After beating Trinity, the Jumbos forged on to play the NYU Bobcats. The match continued the team's hectic schedule over the past two weekends, with the team playing three matches in four days starting in late September, and then the doubleheader this weekend. Yet the Jumbos stayed strong, beating NYU 6-3. "It was tough for the girls to play a doubleheader especially because we had some court problems, basically forcing us to play both matches on just two courts," Miller said. "But it was a good test of our mental strength. We also had never played NYU before so we had no idea what to expect, and defeating them showed we could play against anybody thrown at us." Once again the play of Bram and Knez paced the team. Bram and Knez both won their singles matches (6-1, 6-2) (6-2, 6-2) respectively, as well as their doubles match (8-5). Cenko, Schmid and Homma also won their singles matches. "I thought the team did great," Bram said. "Everyone was able to pull out their matches and really come through for the win." The two wins mean the team will close out its fall match-play season with a 5-2 record. Next up for the Jumbos will be the New England Championships hosted by Amherst College. The championships will be the last competition in the team's fall season. The tournament is divided into six singles flights and three doubles flights. Each player plays in her corresponding flight, and only plays opponents from within that flight. Points are awarded corresponding to each player's advancement within the tournament. The team to compile the most points comes away with the tournament championship. The Jumbos hope to come away with that title this year. "The two wins today were big to get the team confidence up for New England's," Miller said. "Nobody was down after our previous losses because we know we played well and both matches could have gone either way, but it was definitely good for our confidence as a team to win the two straight on Saturday." "I think everyone could do really well," Bram added. "We want to end the season on a positive note."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Top Northeast tennis teams go to Maine

September 22

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.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Bayard notches first win as coach

September 15

The Women's tennis team, ranked 17th in the nation and third in New England, got its fall campaign off on the right foot on Wednesday, clobbering the Smith College Pioneers 9-0 on the Voute Courts in the first match of its 2005 season. The win was the first for newly hired head coach Kate Bayard, whose Jumbos surrendered a total of just 19 games in nine matches against the Pioneers. "A win is always a win," senior co-captain Lisa Miller added. "We take every team seriously, and playing well as a team in the first match of the season and getting our first win sets a great tone for us to move forward with into the season." Tufts cruised in the doubles matches to start off the day, with senior tri-captains Lisa Miller and Becky Bram leading the charge with an 8-1 beating of Smith's top two players, senior captain Camille Whitney and freshman Francesca Albrezzi. Jumbo freshmen Jessica Knez and Mari Homma triumphed at second doubles, defeating Smith sophomores Seiko Fujii and Catherine Lydecker by the same score of 8-1. Sophomore Megan Gentzler and freshman Andrea Cenko also were successful at third doubles, defeating a pair of Smith freshmen, Andrea Dreskin and MyDzung Chi, 8-2. Things didn't get much more difficult on the singles side, as Bram kicked things off with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Whitney at number one. Miller, who was playing in her first singles match since returning from a year abroad, saw little decline in her game, defeating Albrezzi 6-0, 6-1 at second singles. "I feel like I played smart today," Miller said. "I was nervous and excited to play a match after being away all year last year, and I got over the initial nerves and played well. It's strange and exciting to come back to almost a completely brand new team for my senior year, and I'm excited to see what the season and the year bring." Knez picked up her first collegiate singles win at third singles, easily defeating doubles opponent Fujii 6-0, 6-3, while classmates Gentzler (6-0, 6-1) and Cenko (6-0, 6-2) also picked up their first collegiate W's at fifth and sixth singles, respectively. Sophomore Lani Ackerman completed the sweep of the Pioneers, though she had to work a bit harder than her teammates to do so. Ackerman struggled in the first set but was able to pull away 7-5, and then cruised over Smith freshman Dzung Chi 6-1 in the second. The win was the Jumbos' first without junior All-Americans Jen Luten and Kylyn Deary, who are abroad in Italy for the fall semester. Their absence could allow the squad to develop its younger talent and be that much deeper come spring, when the duo will be back in action as Tufts vies for a team bid to the NCAA tournament. "Right now we're just taking our season one match at a time," Miller said. "We're excited for the girls to come back in the spring and we're confident that we'll be very strong then, but right now we want every girl on the team to play as well as they can and feel good about their contribution to this team." The Jumbos will look to continue their solid play through the rest of the fall season. In the immediate future lies an away match against the Colby Mules on Saturday, followed by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association tournament at Bowdoin the following weekend.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Amherst is unbeatable in playoffs

May 21

The women's tennis team headed into the NESCAC championship as defending co-champions, splitting the 2004 title with Williams. This time around, however, the Jumbos would have to be satisfied with a solid second place finish, as they were unable to overcome the sizeable hurdle that Amherst, the 2005 champion, has presented all season long. "Amherst is a tough team," coach Doug Eng said. "A couple matches in singles were tough to win, just tough match-ups. The doubles were [up for grabs] but we didn't get them." The tournament, held at Middlebury College, featured a field of 11 competing teams from the conference. Amherst took first place with a total score of 31, followed closely by the Jumbos with 23 points. Middlebury finished in third, followed by Williams, Trinity, Colby, Connecticut College, Bowdoin, Bates, Hamilton and Wesleyan. The tournament featured five rounds of singles and doubles play divided into A, B and C brackets, with an additional D bracket in the singles. The strategy proposed by Eng for the day was simple, yet proved to be effective. "I wanted a more laid back approach and to play hard without expectations," Eng said. "It seems we play better that way. Our goal was a top three finish." Playing in the singles A round was sophomore Jen Luten. Following a bye in the first round, Luten defeated Bowdoin's A player 6-4, 6-4, and crushed Connecticut College's A player 6-0, 6-3, before losing to Amherst in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 5-7. In the B singles, both sophomore Kylyn Deary and senior tri-captain Jennifer Lejb received first round byes. Deary went out in the Quarterfinals to Middlebury's B player 1-6, 1-6, while Lejb fought her way through several difficult matches to reach the finals, before losing to Amherst's B 0-6, 6-2, 2-6. In the C singles senior tri-captain Trina Spear also received a first round bye, but fell to Amherst in the Semifinals 4-6, 2-6. But sophomore Stephanie Ruley, who began in the first round with no bye, managed to defeat Amherst's second C player 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1, before losing in the finals to yet another Amherst opponent, going down 4-6, 0-6. "Amherst has always been a strong team," Lejb said. "They recruit great players and have a solid tennis program. I think they might spend a lot of time practicing the problem areas that other teams have, exposing weaknesses in matches." The Tufts doubles squads also made successful runs in the tournament, with both the No. 1 team of Luten and Deary and the No. 2 team of Lejb and Pisheva making it to the final rounds, where both teams lost 5-8 to the doubles teams from Amherst. The No. 3 doubles team of senior Ashley Weisman and junior Rebecca Bram lost a hard-fought match in the semifinals to Middlebury 7-9. "[Ruley] and [Luten] had great runs in singles," Eng said. "Luten lost 7-5 in the third set to an Amherst opponent who was playing on top of her game. We played great doubles, which was a great lead-in for the NCAA [Tournament]." Following the NESCAC Championships, the Jumbos competed in the NCAA Team Tournament. Following a sweep of rival Wellesley College 5-0 in the Regional First Round, Tufts returned to its fifth straight Northeast final. The team was determined to improve upon its performance last year, when it lost in the finals, but Amherst once again stood in the way, ending the Jumbos' season 5-1. "We were very confident after NESCACs and we wanted revenge against Wellesley," Eng said. "Blanking them was nice. The key to Amherst was doubles. We [thought] they [were] more vulnerable there than singles." Although doubles has been the weak link of the team most of the season, the squad showed they were beginning to come to form with close matches in all three doubles matchups. Both No. 1 duo Luten and Deary and No. 2 team Lejb and Pisheva lost 6-8 in their respective matches, and the No. 3 team of Bram and Weisman took their match to a tie-breaker, losing 9-8 (7-2). "Amherst might win the nationals," Deary said. "Doubles remains the problem, especially stringing two wins together in a row." Tufts finished its team season with a record of 9-6, but for Deary and Luten, their play continues as they head to Kalamazoo, Michigan, as Luten will compete in the NCAA Singles Championships, along with Deary in the Doubles Championships. Both look forward to the match, and are confident of success. "I couldn't be more excited," said Deary, a Mich. native. "This will be basically my home court, my friends and family will be there. I know we can win our first few rounds."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Lejb battled through injuries to 48-18 career record

May 20

Fourteen or 16. That's the answer senior Jennifer Lejb gives when people ask how long she has been playing tennis. "I've already lost track. I think it's 16." It's not surprising that Lejb may have lost track of a few years here and there. She began playing tennis at the ripe age of six, and quickly moved to competitive play two years later and hasn't stopped since. "I worked with an amazing local tennis coach," she said. Lejb then graduated to a local pro who taught in her hometown of New York City. "It was an intensive program, three hours on Saturday [in addition] to practice during the week," she added. "I competed in national tournaments during high school and USTA [sponsored] events. If I wasn't doing homework I was at one of the programs or tennis practice." Although she admits she never thought of "going pro," Lejb was interested in competing in tennis at the collegiate level. She looked at several Div. I schools, but found that they didn't offer the balance between academics and athletics she wanted. Then she discovered Tufts. "I looked at Div. I teams, but I liked the idea of putting the academics first," she said. "[Tufts allowed me] to continue playing tennis and be at a great school, plus the location is perfect." Lejb quickly rose to the No. 1 seed on the team, a slot she would fill from her freshman through her junior year. The Tufts environment was completely new, but very rewarding. "It was a completely different tennis experience at Tufts," Lejb said. "I never was on a team before, and I practically coached the team in high school. This was my first chance to play on a team, to be able to cheer for other people. " "Everyone is so vicious at the tournaments," she added. "I appreciate and cherish [my time on the team]. I'll never get to experience this again. Everyone cares so much about the outcome. Some of my closest friends are from the team." Lejb's teammates echo her sentiments. The intensity and leadership Lejb has shown both on and off the court have impressed sophomore Kyln Deary, who has played with Lejb for the last two years. "There have been matches and you think she's down and out, but she's a clutch player," Deary said. "[She] played right next to me, and [I'd] hear her telling herself, 'come on!'" Lejb found her role on the team, but injuries have plagued her four years at Tufts. Suffering through shin splits since freshman year, this season has been marked by severe compartment syndrome in both legs that significantly hindered her movement on the court. But she has fought through it, and although she was a tri-captain of the team, she was forced to relinquish her No. 1 spot to current sophomore Jen Luten. However, Lejb feels she made a worthwhile sacrifice for her teammates. "I'm a very competitive person," Lejb admits. "I hate not being able to compete. Before college I never was injured, but I'm starting to wear down. Of course it's been frustrating, but you make the best of it, and I've tried to be a role model on the team." Women's tennis coach Doug Eng, who has worked with Lejb over the last four years, has been impressed with the changes she has made in order to compete despite the hindrances of injury. "She has always been very talented," Eng said. "Injuries limit[ed] her availability, [but] the two things that really came along lately were her doubles play and mental toughness. This year her physical limitations gave her terrific staying ability. She learned how to conserve her energy, reduce frustrations and increase her focus." Lejb's fondest memory shows the pride she has for being part of the Tufts tennis team. Following a tough match with Emory during last season, the Jumbos were down 0-8. The day was already decided, but Lejb continued to play hard and won the only match of the day. She did it, however, not for herself, but for her team. "I felt like I represented the team," she remembers. "It was nice to have one number on the board for Tufts. It gave us that little bit of dignity." Leaving the team after four years with a career 48-18 record, Lejb says it's about time for her to take a break from the sport that has defined her for so long. "I plan to take some time off, let my body recover and disassociate from all the stress. I don't know what tennis is for fun," the always competitive Lejb said. "But I'm going to be sad [to be done]." Her presence on the team will sorely be missed next year by her teammates as well. "We will miss her talent and presence," Eng commented. "She developed into a fine leader this year." "She's a quiet person with a really big heart," Deary added. "She's put all her effort into the team, and it hasn't gone unnoticed." Whether it's 14 or 16 years, Lejb's long and successful tennis career has finally come to an end. She admits that, right now, she doesn't yet realize how difficult it will be when it finally hits that the season is truly over. "I'm in denial," she says. "I've down-played the importance of it, how significant it was for me. This is basically the end of a 16-year career synonymous with my life. I don't quite know how to separate myself from tennis. It has defined me. I wished [the team] had gone further, so it didn't have to end."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Jumbos cruise by Conn. College

April 27

The women's tennis team put a stop to its three-game losing streak on Tuesday with a decisive 7-2 victory over NESCAC rival Connecticut College. The day was sunny with a slight breeze, and the entire team came out playing strong, losing only one match of the day, with one default. "The match went well," senior tri-captain Jennifer Lejb said. "We were all a bit nervous going into it because it was important for our season and ranking, but it turned out to be a good day for us." "We knew Connecticut College would be competitive after coming off of big wins and Tufts was coming off a few tough [losses]," sophomore Kylyn Deary added. "This [win] was a real confidence builder." Confidence was only part of what the team had to gain. Pulling together the skills they have been working on all season, the Jumbos knew it was important to be in top form, and with the NESCAC Championships quickly approaching, the timing was right. "It's been a long time since we all played well at the same time," sophomore Jennifer Luten said. "It's good, especially before NESCACs." The day's scores reflected the team's level of play on Tuesday. In the singles, No. 1 Luten won 6-4, 7-5, No. 2 sophomore Rebecca Bram won 6-4, 6-3, No. 3 Lejb defaulted after being up 6-4, 3-0 with a recurring ankle injury, No. 4 Deary won 6-2, 6-2, No. 5 senior tri-captain Trina Spear won 6-4, 6-0, and No. 6 senior tri-captain Neda Pisheva won 6-0, 6-2. "We all knew this was not going to be an easy match," Deary said. "Everyone played great, got the job done, and we walked off with a win." While the team secured the victory with its five singles victories, the doubles matches were a chance for the squad to work out kinks before tournament play. The first doubles team of Luten and Deary won 9-8 (8-6), the second team of Lejb and Pisheva lost 4-8, and third team Spear and Bram won 9-8 (7-2). With two tiebreaker victories, the team showed they will be a threat in both singles and doubles play come tournament time. "We started a bit slow in doubles," coach Doug Eng said. "[Connecticut College] plays some great doubles. [Bram and Spear] changed strategy a bit after being down 5-2 and came back to win 9-8 with the tiebreak at 7-2. We won two doubles 9-8 in tiebreaks. Then we got on a roll." The No. 1 doubles match also highlighted the growth of its two members, Deary and Luten, who have complemented one another all season. The team saved two match points, first with a blazing shot down the line from Luten, and then with a defensive volley from Deary. "The doubles I played in the fall are not the same I'm playing in the spring," Deary said. "Both doubles won in tie breakers. It shows we're finally starting to come together." "We're doing well," Luten commented. "Doubles are a bit shaky, but we fought really hard, and everyone played really good singles." Tufts finished its regular season 8-5. The team heads into this weekend's NESCAC Championships, held at Middlebury College, and will look to compete against rivals Amherst, Williams and Middlebury. While Tuesday's win had little effect on Tufts' standing in the tournament, Eng is pleased to head into this weekend with a victory. "[The win] doesn't change much, but it does protect our seed," Eng said. "And we go into NESCACs and NCAAs after a solid win. Momentum is good and we want to build on it." Tuesday's victory marked not only the final match of the regular season but also the final match for the team's three seniors, Lejb, Spear and Piseva. After a long career on the team, Lejb reflected on her time at Tufts. "I think all the seniors are feeling a bit sad about this being the last dual match," Lejb said. "Then again, it's been a great four years and I personally feel like this is the end of something that was very fun and memorable."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Weekend woes continue for Tufts tennis

April 18

It's been a tough home stretch for the Tufts women's tennis team. After losing a close match on Wednesday to No. 2 Amherst, the team had little time to catch its breath. The Jumbos faced No. 1 Emory on Friday before taking on NESCAC rival Williams College on Sunday in an action-packed weekend that yielded two losses for Tufts. The Jumbos were soundly defeated by Emory 8-1, and lost a tight match to the Ephs 5-4. With cool and breezy conditions at home on Friday, coach Doug Eng and his team hoped they would have an advantage over a shaky Emory team that had been upset earlier in the season by No. 11 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College. Emory came out playing strong, and although the Tufts team stayed close, the Eagles proved too much to handle. "[Emory's] results have been less than spectacular, which is their norm," Eng said. "So they appeared ripe for another upset, at least on paper. The hardest match-ups were against their [four through six seeds] as Emory has tremendous depth." In singles, second seeded junior Rebecca Bram lost 6-4, 7-5. Senior tri-captain and third seed Jennifer Lejb won the first set 6-4 and was down 1-2 in the second set before being forced to retire due to injury. Sophomore fourth seed Kylyn Deary lost 6-1, 6-0. Fifth seed senior tri-captain Trina Spear lost 6-0, 6-0. Sophomore sixth seed Stephanie Ruley lost 6-0, 6-1. Lejb, who was forced off the court with an ankle injury, was still positive about the match. "The match today went alright," Lejb said. "We were hoping to do better and we all went out there with great spirits. They were a good team, and we came off with good spirits regardless." The lone bright spot of the day was number one seed sophomore Jennifer Luten, who won her match in dramatic fashion 6-3, 1-6, 7-6. After going down 5-4 in the third set, she saved three match points to send it into a tie breaker, where she saved a fourth match point to win the tie-breaker and the match. "Luten got back on track with a great match at number one," Eng said. "She staved off three match points with spectacular go-for-broke tennis. She ripped a couple ridiculous passing shots down the line. She showed a lot of heart out there." In doubles, the number one team of Luten and Deary lost 8-2 and the number two seed pairing of Lejb and Pisheva lost 8-4. Number three seed Bram and Weisman lost a close one 8-6. Tufts played solid doubles, but failed to dictate the play of the matches. "Emory often stayed back and played defense," Eng said. "I think there was more we could have done but we didn't adjust well against the two back. Emory didn't make many errors even though they gave us the initiative. I think we are capable of playing a higher level game in doubles." The team headed back to the courts on Sunday in a competitive match against Williams, but was just barely edged out by the Ephs 5-4. Like Emory, Williams did not play very aggressively but made up for it with nearly flawless tennis. Although Tufts had little time to make improvements following Friday's match, Eng has a clear idea of what the team needs to work on. "First, we have to cut down on errors in doubles," Eng said. "Second, we need to play more aggressively up the middle. Third, we need to move earlier and more frequently both up to the net for put-aways, and across the middle of the court on poaching." In singles, number one seed Luten won 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-1; two seed Bram lost 6-0, 6-1; three seed Lejb lost 6-1, 6-0; five seed Spear won 6-2, 6-3; and sixth Ruley won 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Tufts went down four games to two early in the match, but staged a comeback to even it up with decisive wins at the number one and six singles spots, which left Deary's fourth seed match as the deciding factor. Although she played extremely hard, making a huge comeback in the second set after going down 1-5 and saving three match points at 40-love, Deary lost 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 to drop the match. "She did a great job of keeping her head in the match since she was down triple match point in the second set," Eng said. "And then she came back from the dead and almost won the match in the third. Late in the third set anything can happen and Kyly ran out of a bit of luck." In doubles play, number one team Luten and Deary won 8-5, while two seed Lejb and Pisheva lost 8-4 and third seed Bram and Weisman lost 8-6. "I think everyone played to the level of their opponent," Deary said. "Sometimes it works to our advantage, and sometimes, like today, it doesn't. Everyone on the team put so much heart into the match, and I know we will be at the level we need to be when Nationals and NESCAC's come around." Tufts is currently 7-5 on the season, and 0-2 in the NESCAC Conference, with only one match remaining this year against Connecticut College on April 26.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Jumbos drop match to Amherst

April 12

A cold and windy day didn't slow the women's tennis team yesterday; the squad moved its match against No. 2 Amherst College into the Gantcher Center. Amherst came into Tufts with momentum from its 7-2 win over Middlebury College on Sunday. The Jumbos played tough, but in the end Amherst won a close match 6-3. Despite the loss, coach Doug Eng was pleased with his team's performance. "I'm not unhappy with the scores," Eng said. "This is the tightest we've played Amherst in the last eight or nine years and it showed we're as good as any top team. It confirms we've got enough depth; we just need to step it up." Under the lights of the Gantcher Center, and with a handful of spectators cheering them on, the Jumbos started off strong in both their doubles and singles matches by being aggressive and taking the early lead. Although the team hoped that it would have an advantage on the indoor turf, Amherst adapted and stormed back in all but three of the matches. "Obviously Amherst isn't used to [the turf]," Eng said. "But their one, two and three singles players were all very good fast court players. We hoped they wouldn't adjust." Despite the final score, a few key wins easily could have swung the match to Tufts. Amherst went up early after winning two of the three doubles matches. The number one doubles team, consisting of sophomore Jennifer Luten and sophomore Kylyn Deary, lost a close match 8-6. While Tufts dominated from the baseline, the Amherst duo countered with strong volleying. Luten's powerful serve and ground strokes put Tufts up 3-1, but Amherst stayed aggressive and won five straight to make it 3-6. Tufts staged a comeback, breaking Amherst's serve and closing the gap to 6-7. But Amherst answered right back by breaking Luten's serve, winning the match 8-6. "We didn't play our best, but we didn't play bad," Deary said. "When we were aggressive we won, when we backed off we started to lose the points." Tufts' second doubles team, senior tri-captains Neda Pisheva and Jennifer Lejb, won its match 8-3, but as was characteristic of the day, Amherst countered, winning 3-8 against the third doubles team of senior Ashley Weisman and junior Rebecca Bram. "We needed to play more aggressive," Eng said. "Number two doubles kept the ball down and didn't allow Amherst to attack. We had solid doubles, but with a pro set you win some and you lose some." The singles matches started off the same way as the doubles matches, with both Luten and Deary going up 3-0 early in the first set. Deary won her match 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Luten played Amherst's tenacious number one, senior Rachel Holt, whom she had faced in the doubles match. Holt grew stronger as the match wore on, adjusting to Luten's powerful serve and forcing her to make errors. Luten, however, fought back from being down 3-4, hitting deep corner shorts, to regain the lead 5-4. After a pair of close shots that were called long, Amherst took the first set 5-7. Looking exhausted in the second set, Luten still was able to force a tie-breaker, but ultimately lost 6-7 (2-7). "I should have taken over in the first set," Luten said. "She started getting more consistent and she picked up her game. We'll see [Amherst] again, and it gives us an idea where we are to be ready for them at the NESCAC championships." Singles second seed senior Jennifer Lejb lost her match 4-6, 6-0, 5-7. Third seed Bram lost 2-6, 0-6. Fifth seed senior Trina Spear lost 1-6, 0-6. Fourth seed Dreary won her match 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Sixth seed sophomore Stephanie Ruley's took her match in two sets. "[Luten] played solid," Eng said. "[Deary] has elevated her game from the fall, and you're always going to get a good game out of her." There will be no rest for Tufts, however, as on Friday the team will take on Emory University, the No.1 team in the country. Coach Eng is still confident about the upcoming match. "The way we played today, we can beat Emory if we play like this, only marginally better," Eng said. "We'll play outdoors, which should help [Spear] and [Bram]." Tufts is currently 7-3 on the season, with matches remaining against Emory and Williams College at home, and a final away match at Connecticut College before the NESCAC Championships in May.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Women win big at Brandeis in season opener

April 7

Although the women's tennis team got off to a rusty start, it soon picked up where it left off in the fall, opening the spring season with a 7-2 victory over Brandeis University. It was a beautiful day to open the season, with ideal tennis conditions. Coach Doug Eng was confident for a victory on Wednesday, but admitted prior to the match that the team was expecting a competitive Brandeis squad.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Singles Preview

March 8

The Tufts' women's tennis team has high expectations for the 2005 season, and anticipate that the Jumbos' strong singles lineup will be a major key to the their success. The lineup should feature a dangerous combination of strength at the top and great depth towards the lower positions. "We have double strengths," said Doug Eng, the team's new head coach. "We have a lot of depth. If we had 10 singles spots, we'd kill probably every team except Amherst. But we are also extremely strong at the top." "We have a lot of depth on the team," senior tri-captain Trina Spear agreed. "But I think it's our strength at the top of the lineup that sets us apart from a lot of teams." The Jumbos will look to sophomore Jen Luten and senior tri-captain Jen Lejb as leaders. Right now, Luten is likely to play at number one, though challenge matches are underway to confirm the team rankings. "Hopefully, I'll play No. 1," Luten said. "But we have challenge matches, and I know I have to play for my spot. Jen and [junior] Becky [Bram] are both playing well." Recently, Luten has focused on improving her touch shots as well as working on conditioning to get ready for the season. Lejb has also spent the off-season making a few refinements to her game. "I've been trying to work on my volleys," Lejb said. "They aren't as strong as they use to be. Other than that, I've been trying to stay patient and play a longer game." The Jumbos will also be bolstered by the return of Bram, who was abroad during the fall season. "Getting Becky back helps a lot because it pushes some good players further down the lineup, adding to our depth," Lejb said. "Other teams will have trouble with the middle of our lineup because we have some good players that on other teams would be playing top positions." Sophomore Kylyn Deary and Spear will spend time at the No. 4 and 5 spots. "Kylyn [Deary] played No. 3 in fall and Trina [Spear] played four," Eng said. "Both are very solid players." There are a lot of players who could figure into the final spot. Freshman Alana Ackerman, senior Ashley Weisman, sophomore Stephanie Ruley and senior tri-captain Neda Pisheva all could see time in the final position. "We have a lot of players who can fit in towards the bottom of the lineup," Eng said. "We need to see who is playing best come April." "There is a lot of competition at the bottom, and I think that will work out for us," Luten said. The outcome of challenge matches will help to solidify the lineup, at least for the start of the season. But whatever the combination, Eng feels the team has the talent to compete with the best in Division III. "Our team has the talent to beat Amherst," Eng said. "They need to realize that. They just need to make sure they all bring their A-games."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Team Leaders

March 8

With the spring season on the horizon for the women's tennis team, the Jumbos will attempt to continue their success from last season and once again make their mark in both the NESCAC and national rankings. Tufts, ranked No. 14 according to the latest national poll in December, will look to its core players to compete successfully this season. Two key players that Tufts will rely on this season are senior tri-captain Jennifer Lejb and sophomore Jennifer Luten. Luten and Lejb led the team at first and second, respectively, in the wins column last season in both duals and tournaments. Luten posted a 12-2 overall record, and Lejb wasn't far behind with a record of 9-2. As a senior tri-captain, and one of the leaders in wins on the team, Lejb embraces the tandem that she and Luten compose together. "I try to bring my experience to the younger players, and we try to provide confidence for them," Lejb said. "I'm definitely confident with Jen at the top spot. I love being in a leadership position, and I'm happy to be in that role." According to coach Doug Eng, Lejb and Luten are the most complete players on the team. Eng attributes their shared success to the unique combination of aggressiveness, power and versatility that both players have. Both Luten and Lejb play as aggressive baseline and all-court players, meaning that they can play just about every shot fired at them. Power is also a key skill in tennis, and Luten and Lejb have the heaviest ground strokes on the team. Overall, both players are an asset for the Jumbos, especially considering the stiff competition in the NESCAC. "The NESCAC in women's tennis is like the Big East and the ACC in basketball," Eng said. "Some of the most complete tennis players you'll see come out of the NESCAC. I feel confident throwing [Lejb and Luten] up against any team and know that they'll win." Another strength in both Lejb's and Luten's games is their mentalities. Their success can be attributed to their mental toughness, which Eng believes is a key factor to winning in the sport. "Tennis is a mental game," Eng said. "You have to have the most complete mental game to pull out the toughest matches. They have this, and we can rely on them to make the big shots at the right time." According to Eng, the key to success this season, especially in the big matches, will be utilizing Lejb and Luten's arsenal of talent. This season, Eng plans on splitting both Lejb and Luten in doubles matches again, in order to create a more balanced attack. Lejb will play with senior Neda Pisheva and Luten will team up with sophomore Kylyn Deary. Eng used this strategy at the New England Championships, and pulled away with two titles last season. "[Pisheva] and I played together in doubles last fall," Lejb said. "It was a good fit. She's a net person, and I'm a baseliner. We both complement each other's style of play and can pull out big wins in important doubles matches." Perhaps the most valuable asset that Luten and Lejb bring to the table, in terms of helping their teammates, is leadership. According to Eng, the athleticism of both players elevates everyone's game. This is especially true in practices, when each player is forced to play as well as the teammate she is facing that day on the court. "Some athletes have the ability to bring their teammates up," Eng said. "In practices, they do this everyday by raising their sparring partner's abilities, and that forces the whole team to play better." Lejb, Luten and the rest of the Jumbos will start the season off at California Lutheran on March 22.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Doubles Preview

March 8

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."

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Tennis

Women's Tennis | Coach Profile

March 8

A Ph.D. in chemical engineering, a sports physiology degree and a scuba-dive-master are just a few of the accomplishments that fills Doug Eng's whopping nine-page resume. Simply put, Coach Eng is not your average tennis coach. Eng has coached the men's and women's squash teams at Tufts for a decade, but this season, Eng will make even more of a mark on the Tufts athletics scene as he takes over head coaching duties for the women's tennis team. Eng is replacing Jim Watson, who had previously coached both the men's and women's tennis teams but will coach only the men this spring. Eng has now spent 23 years roaming the halls of Tufts and probably has opinions about every Jumbo related issue. Coaching one team a year is enough of a challenge, no less coaching three in two seasons. Eng, who graduated five beta kappa from Tufts University, was on his way to spending his life in academia. After earning a degree in Chemical Engineering and History, Eng went on to earn a PhD in chemical engineering from Tufts. After receiving the degree, he decided to enroll in a BU sports physiology program. Eng began coaching squash at Tufts 10 years ago and his chemical engineering career has probably been put aside for good in favor of a life of coaching. "Coaching is definitely challenging, a lot harder than academia. I am one of those few who [can] compare the two and the job of a professor is much easier." Eng said. "As a professor you can just give your lecture and go home, you do not have to worry about things such as classroom chemistry." Eng has become accustomed to coaching three teams in two seasons. "Its like mind over matter," Eng said. "I am always looking forward to that break. If I get one day off a month, I feel like a free man." Eng will bear the responsibility of continuing the dominance of a traditionally strong women's tennis program. His track record with the squash program, which he has fostered over the past decade, is promising. Over the past several years, the squash teams have consistently increased their national standing. With Eng's background in sports theory and psychology and his fascination with people relations, it is only fitting that the win and loss record comes second. "The most fun moments are when the team really gets along. When this happens, it just becomes a blast to coach a team each day." Eng said. Eng inherits a tennis team this spring that is coming off a strong fall season, and should only grow stronger with the return of juniors who were abroad. If Eng is able to apply the same appreciation for teamwork and improvement that has characterized his career as a squash coach, the tennis team should have no problem continuing its strong showing on the NESCAC and national scenes.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis: Luten leads Jumbos to second place finish in tournament

October 18

It was the Jen Luten Show this weekend, as the sophomore led theJumbos to a second place showing at the New EnglandChampionships.

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Tennis

Women's tennis tames MIT 6-3

September 30

While the rest of Tufts celebrates Homecoming weekend, tomorrow will be just another day at the office for the women's tennis team. Actually, it will be more like a business trip, as the team will spend its Homecoming Saturday at Bowdoin in a match against the Polar Bears.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis: Second straight shutout for Jumbos

September 20

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.

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Tennis

Women's Tennis

September 6

Most teams, in any sport, would be pretty handcuffed if they were to lose not one or two, but three of their top six players from the previous season. But the 11th ranked women's tennis squad is an exception to the rule.

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Tennis

Women's tennis finishes fifth at NESCAC's

April 27

Once again, it was close but no cigar for the women's tennis team against Williams. For the second consecutive year, the Jumbos fell by a single point to the Ephs, losing 5-4 on Sunday afternoon in Williamstown, Mass. Tufts captured the top two singles as well as the doubles point, but faltered at the third through sixth singles matches. Coach Jim Watson's crew closed the season with three straight losses in dual-match play to finish at 10-3 after a 10-0 start, and now awaits a trip to the upcoming NCAA Regional Tournament, also held at Williams this Friday, where the team will meet with the nationally 29th-ranked Vassar squad. Junior Jen Lejb and freshman Jen Luten fell 8-3 at top doubles to Steph Hall and Kate Troy, but the Jumbos rallied to steal the doubles point when their second and third pairs came through. Senior captain Barclay Gang and junior Neda Pisheva won 8-3 over Julie Mallory and Alex McLennan at number two doubles, and junior Lisa Miller and freshman Kylyn Deary pulled out an 8-6 victory over Caroline Wasserman and Britney Binet at the third spot. After a several-week stay at two singles, Lejb returned to number one and defeated Hall, ranked number one regionally, by an impressive score of 6-0, 6-2. "Steph Hall plays right into Jen's game," Watson said. "Both like a fast-paced aggressive game, and Jen really thrived on that. She was aggressive early, she refused to be pushed back, and she was creating angles and opportunities and really scoring some nice high-risk shots." Luten, who had lost her last three dual-meet matches at the top spot, dropped down to number two but seemed unfazed, trumping Mallory 6-3, 6-2 to give the Jumbos their fourth point. The team couldn't get one more, however, as the third through sixth Jumbos all fell in straight sets without winning more than two games in a single set. "The overall match score was close, but it was anticlimactic in the sense that the matches we won were won easily, and the matches they won were won easily at least in terms of set score," Watson said. "Our losses look brutal, but the battles within the games were incredibly intense. Games were going to deuce and lasting for 15, 20 minutes." Sophomore Becky Bram fell 6-1, 6-2 at the third singles spot while Gang lost 6-0, 6-2 at the fourth slot. Neither has won a singles match since the Middlebury Invitational in the first weekend of April "Becky attempted to be more aggressive [against Williams]," Watson said. "But she still needs to play more to win and less not to lose. She has to take some chances and she can do it. Barclay is the opposite; she's aggressive and she needs to temper that with more patience. If we could mix the two you'd have a perfect player." At the fifth and sixth singles spots, Miller fell 6-2, 6-2 to the Ephs' Wasserman while Deary fell to Binet 6-0, 6-2. Tufts will compete in its fourth straight NCAA Regional Tournament this Friday. Host Williams has proved to be the thorn in the side of the Jumbo team, beating Tufts in the Regional finals last spring, 5-3, and in 2001 by a 6-3 margin. The team fell to Amherst by the same score in 2002. Vassar, the Jumbos' first round opponent, enters the tournament ranked sixth regionally with a 19-2 season record. The two schools last clashed in the first round of the 2001 Regional Tournament, with the Jumbos coming out on top, 5-1. This spring, the winner of the clash will face the winner of Williams and the College of New Jersey on Saturday.

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Tennis

Women's tennis finishes fifth at NESCACs

April 20

The women's tennis team suffered a disappointing weekend at Amherst, tying for fifth place out of eleven teams at the NESCAC championships. Amherst and Williams tied for first with 27 team points each. Tufts finished behind Bowdoin (19) and Trinity (12), and tied with Middlebury (11).

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