"I think it was a good match. It's always good to get a win the first match," said co-captain Ann Scott '06. "There are definitely still some kinks that I think we all need to work out of our games, but you know that's why we sort of build up for the Ivy season and I think we are headed good places."
In order to capture the doubles point, the women in green had to win two out of the three matches, but they left nothing to chance and swept all three. Winingham and Zebroski teamed up for Dartmouth's No. 1 doubles and won easily 8-3. Scott and co-captain Katie Jaxheimer '06 won 8-2, and the No. 3 doubles pairing of Kerry Snow '07 and Maggie Suydam '08 won 8-5.
"The doubles played very well and that's something we've been working on pretty hard," said coach Bob Dallis. "You know, it makes a big difference for us having Lindsay Winingham back in doubles and Kerry Snow back in doubles and Maggie Suydam was able to play doubles -- she was healthy enough to do that -- and that's a big difference."
After the Lady Green collected its doubles point, it was time for the singles matches, which were highlighted by Dartmouth's No. 1 Winingham v. Army's Megan Noble, a second team All-Patriot League selection last year.
It was Winingham's first competitive singles action since last spring, after spending the fall interning in Washington D.C. And that was evident, as her nerves got the best of her and her first three shots sailed long over the baseline. But she soon calmed down and only surrendered one game by winning the first set 6-1.
"I was definitely nervous when I first stepped out there, and I like to play an aggressive style, which, at the beginning of the match, isn't always the best, because if you play aggressive you miss a lot of shots early and then kind of find your rhythm as the match goes on," explained Winingham. "Usually I don't start off as well as I finish."
Noble regrouped and came out strong in the second set by winning the first game. But after Winingham broke Noble's serve to go up 2-1 there was a bit of controversy in the fourth game.
Winingham hit a forehand winner that seemingly clipped the tape on the baseline, but Noble called the ball out. Outraged, Winingham, like the great John McEnroe, blew up at her opponent.
"What! That was on the line, that was the second one you missed!" yelled Winingham.
Everyone in Boss Tennis Center stopped what they were doing to check out what happened on the main court, as the tennis official rushed over to settle the dispute.
Not only did the call stand, but it served as a momentum boost for the Army player who then won the next two games to go up 4-2.
"The call that she made was on a big point and I think that she made the call because it was a big point and it turned it to two-all instead of 2-1 at 30-40; it was game point," said Winingham. "To me it seemed like she knew what she was doing. I think at that point she was about to give up, but it gave her some added fire and she came out and had four big first serves and took it to me."
Coach Dallis saw that Winingham was rattled and decided to calm her down.
His speech worked as she didn't lose another game after that point by winning the match and the second set 6-4.
"Bob's really good on strategy," said Winingham. "I don't know if I would have won that second set honestly without him. He told me that I needed to serve out wide to her forehand because she is missing every single ball."
In No. 2 singles Zebrowski cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 victory. Dartmouth's other point came from Jamie Caplan '09, who won 6-3, 7-5.
Dartmouth suffered three tough singles losses, the toughest of which came in the marathon match between Jaxheimer and Jessica Shurtz of Army. The match lasted so long that the three Dartmouth wins all ended before Jaxheimer's first set was over. Shurtz would eventually take the match 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.
"It's frustrating being up and then ending up losing it," said Jaxheimer. "It was a close match, but at the same time frustrating. I felt like I wasn't really opening up the court very well and like I was playing aggressively, but not very smart. So, it's something I need to work on in the coming week."
So how did Scott sum up the day for her team?
"We may have lost some battles, but we won the war."
Dartmouth will be back in action next Saturday when Boston College comes to town at 1 p.m.
