The women's tennis team did not receive a warm initiation into Cornell University's new Reis Tennis Center Saturday. The Big Red downed Dartmouth 5-2 in Dartmouth's final match of the season.
"It was pretty intimidating for our team to face this Cornell squad who was so psyched to have the first match ever in the Reis facility be a victory," Coach Chris Kerr said. "They took us by surprise."
The Reis court had not been played or practiced on at all before Saturday's match, making the courts extremely slow. The Dartmouth women, who are used to the quick courts at Leverone, didn't get the results that their usual aggressive style of play brings them.
"It was like playing in slow motion," Kerr said.
According to Kerr, the home advantage has proven one of the small factors this year that made a big difference in the race for the Ivy League title.
Throughout the league, most teams have been less successful on the road than at home, and Dartmouth is no exception.
The Big Green, coming off a huge upset win over Harvard University last Tuesday, started the day off winning the doubles point for the sixth time this season with come-from-behind victories in all three matches.
But Dartmouth fell in all singles matches, except the number two spot, to the Big Red squad that Coach Kerr called "the biggest spoiler in the Ivy League this season."
The lone victory for Dartmouth came from Debbie Healy '95, who raised her record to 6-1 in the Ivy League with a straight set win.
"Losing to Cornell was a tough way to end the season but I think we did well overall this year," Kallie Buehler '97 said.
The women finished their season 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the Ivy League. A win against Cornell could have left them tied for second in the Ivy League with perennial powerhouse Harvard.
Dartmouth finishes the season sharing third place along with Yale University and Cornell.
"This just proves there is no team you can take for granted in the Ivy League anymore," Kerr said.
The young Dartmouth squad will only lose one senior, Captain Cathy Birkeland who played in the tough number one position this season.
"Cathy deserves a lot of credit because she never stepped onto the court without giving her best effort," Kerr said.
The Big Green will also lose a strong doubles player in Birkeland, who was named All Ivy League the last two seasons in the number one doubles position.
With a young team, including Buehler, who finished with a 5-2 record in the Ivy League, and two other starting freshmen, the Big Green will make another run for the title next year.
They will also have the experience of Kiyoe Hashimoto '95 who finished 4-3 in the league at the number three position.
"Next year I will focus on how I can neutralize unpredictability and show these players that no matter where we play we should look to win," Kerr said.