The women's tennis team improved their '97-'98 record to 8-3 with a 7-2 win over Boston University this past Saturday in Hanover. In doing so, the young team showed that they will be as much of a force in the spring as they were in the fall.
The team was led by No. 1 seed Rebecca Dirksen '00 and Allison Taff '00 at No. 3, who both won their matches with relative ease. In the other singles positions, Courtney Smalley '01 and Carolyn Roth '01 took home straight-set wins and Dartmouth swept the three doubles matches, including an 8-0 whitewashing by Dirksen and Taff. The doubles team of Michelle Bray '00 and Jenny Lange '00 recovered nicely from singles defeats to pull out an 8-5 win as well.
In general, the women felt they came into the match enthusiastic and ready to play.
"We felt pretty confident coming off of a good spring break trip," said Taff. "We practiced hard this winter and it really showed in our match on Saturday."
Lange agreed, adding that the team's hard work over the winter prepared them well for their competitive matches this spring.
With four sophomores and two freshmen playing nearly all the matches, the team's roster is quite young. But it is precocious youth. The freshmen, Smalley and Roth, underwent a trial by fire in the fall, playing immediately and gaining a measure of experience. Meanwhile, Bray, Dirksen, Lange and Taff did the same last year, honing their skills on a team which had graduated many of its stars. The relative youth of the current team suggests that its best seasons are still ahead of it. Furthermore, the team is improving with age.
Dartmouth had played Boston University during the fall season and won, but Smalley believes the Terriers came back tougher and with a stronger lineup this spring. That Dartmouth beat them more handily this time suggests the team's improvement over the course of the year.
This team is solid and ready for better things. Roth felt the women was anticipating the challenge of the upcoming months.
"If everyone continues to fight hard," Taff added, "we should do well this season."
The team's next match will be on Friday at home against Columbia.
