With another serve, forehand, backhand, and overhead, the Brandeis Womens Tennis team won another two matches this past week, launching another successful spring tennis season. Though the team was 1-1 for the season, they kicked their game up a notch, seizing a 7-2 home win against Babson last Thursday and a 6-3 victory away at Bates last Saturday. Despite losing to Colby on Sunday, April 2, the team refuses to lose momentum. Gabrielle Helfgott 09 explained, Matches are getting harder, and we have a long road ahead of us. This loss is just a lesson to reinforce what our team needs to improve on. Were a strong team, and well continue forward with a positive attitude and confidence.
According to Helfgott, the Babson match symbolized the beginning of a new attitude for the Brandeis Womens Tennis team. By the time the match came, Helfgott articulated, I think we learned that a team cant go into a match with an attitude and preconception based on the teams record and ranking alone;
its important to approach each match with confidence and an open mind. Brandeis sent Babson home after winning 2 out of 3 doubles matches and 5 out of 6 singles matches.
Jennifer Krueger 07 clinched the first two points, winning at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-3, as well as defeated Babsons No. 1 doubles team with partner Colleen Donnelly 08, 8-3. Helfgott seized the 5th point at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 6-1, securing the victory for Brandeis. The number 2, 3, and 5 singles players pulled through triumphantly after going into third set tiebreakers. Brandeis 6th singles player, Ana Katz 08, also won, 6-0, 6-2.
After the exciting Babson triumph, the women proceeded to Maine to play Bates and Colby. Helfgott talked about the opposition: Bates and Colby are both strong teams, and winning or losing these two matches came down to the teams mental toughness and confidence. This can be reflected in the scores. Really, it came down to who wanted to win the most.
Brandeis defeated Coach Ben Lamannas alma mater, Bates College. All 3 doubles teams walked off the courts triumphantly, leaving Brandeis in the lead, 3-0. Krueger won at 1st singles, 6-0, 6-2. While Brandeis 2nd, 3rd, and 4th singles players were defeated, Jenicka Hornung 07 and Katz secured the team a victory, winning 5th and 6th singles, respectively.
The following day, the team traveled to Colby College for another difficult match. After nine lengthy but solid matches, Colby beat Brandeis with four singles and two doubles victories. Hornung, Brandeis fifth singles player, defeated Nicole Veilleux, 6-4, 6-3, and Brandeis sixth singles player, Katz, defeated Katherine Koleski, 6-2, 6-3. The third doubles team of Helfgott and Hornung also emerged victorious after a third set tie breaker, 8-3.
The Brandeis Womens Tennis team is off to a great spring 2006 season start! Come support the team at their next home match, April 11 against Wellesley College.
