The heat wave that hit Hanover this weekend must have transferred some of its energy to the streaking men's tennis team.
Up against Navy on Friday and a very talented Princeton squad on Saturday, the Big Green left the Topliff courts smoking with a huge weekend sweep.
The team defeated Navy 6-1 and Princeton 4-3.
Friday's match against Navy was the first outdoor home match of the season for Dartmouth and with a big home crowd out in full support, the Big Green did not disappoint.
In doubles, Dartmouth mixed up the lineup a bit. With senior captain Holden Spaht out with strained cartilage in his ribs and unable to reach above his head without pain, freshmen Rob Simik stepped in to team with Jim Rich '96 at number two.
The new tandem meshed well, winning 8-2. Matt Fuller '97 and Avery Rueb '98 moved up to number one where they were defeated 4-8. Freshmen Eric Holzer and Gabe Sauerhoff could not pull off the win in a close match, going down 8-9.
After dropping the doubles point, however, the Big Green never looked back as they swept singles action.
The most exciting match of the day came at number six, where freshmen Austin Hawley (who was bumped into the lineup because of Spaht's injury) came back to win in three sets, after facing match point in the second.
"I had a little trouble getting motivated early in the match because we had already secured the victory, and I knew I was probably going to be the last person on the court. Late in the second set my opponent got me a little upset with some unnecessary gamesmanship and I started playing a lot better," Hawley said.
The dominating 6-1 victory on Friday served as a good warm-up for the hard fought battle that ensued on Saturday against Princeton, ranked second in the Ivies.
Going with the same doubles lineup used against Navy, the result proved to be the same as Dartmouth dropped the doubles point.
Spaht, however, returned to play at number two singles and looked impressive, winning 6-3, 6-3.
"We thought it would be best if I sat Friday out and tried to go for the Princeton match," Spaht said. "Paul [the trainer] gave me some pain killers and some ultra-sound treatment and it felt fine during the singles match."
Holding a 3-2 team lead after quick wins by Spaht, Holzer and Sauerhoff, the squad needed only one more victory. Rueb delivered with a straight set win, 6-4, 6-4.
"It was a great thing to be a part of from my standpoint," an energetic Rueb said. "Everyone played a great match and the freshmen, as usual, came up with two huge victories to put us up 3-2. I was estatic with the win."
The victory put Dartmouth back in the hunt for an Ivy championship, standing at 1-1 in league play. Coach Charles Kinyon heaped praise on the team's weekend efforts.
"This group has worked hard together and everyone's game came together yesterday against Princeton. The 300 plus fans and parents that were there enjoying the great day and the great tennis were a part of the victory," he said.
Keeping things in perspective, Kinyon is already looking ahead to next weekend's meets at Yale and Brown and a solution to the Big Green's problems in doubles play.
"We have a long way to go," Kinyon said. "Yale and Brown are both very formidable opponents and their home courts are a big challenge for us. We cannot afford to have a sloppy doubles weekend like this past weekend and expect to win."
For the moment, however, the team will enjoy its 2-0 weekend victories and work hard in preparation for next weekend at Yale and Brown.
