Big Green tennis climbed over the .500 plateau with a win over defending Division III national champion Middlebury (7-2), bringing the team's record to 8-7. After losing its final two matches in California over spring break, Dartmouth came out strong against the Panthers and won 5-2. The match was the team's final regular season contest before Ivy League play starts Friday.
As has been the case in every Dartmouth win this season, the Big Green won the doubles point and used the momentum to propel themselves into a strong performance in the singles matches. The first doubles pair of co-captains Dave Webb '05 and Andres Reyes '05 led the way with a dominating 8-2 win. After an even start, the duo turned the match around and won eight of the last nine games. Overwhelming Middlebury with their power, the Panthers were often forced to lob the ball, a doomed strategy that resulted in a number of slams for winners.
The No. 2 pair for the Big Green did not play. Dave Waslen '07 was out of town attending a family matter, and Steve McGaughey '07 was out due to an injury. In their place, Jeff Schechtman '08 and Mark Brodie '07 moved up from the third position. Unfortunately, the transition proved more difficult than expected. After struggling with the powerful serve of Middlebury's Alex Scott, Schechtman and Brodie fell 8-3.
With the doubles point still open, Logan West '05 and Priya Sahu '05 stepped up and won a close 8-5 match at the No. 3 spot.
Waslen's absence also caused a shuffling of the singles line up. With the No. 2 spot left open, Schechtman and Brodie each moved up to number two and three, respectively.
Reyes, who did not play a singles match before spring break, moved up to the fourth spot after going 3-1 over break, and Travis Maiers '07 played his first singles match of the spring season. The only two in their regular spots were Webb at No. 1 and Sahu at the five spot.
Webb completed a successful day, finishing with two wins after cruising through his singles match 6-4, 6-2. After a mediocre spring break trip and weeks of nursing an ankle injury, he said he finally considers himself healthy.
"I'm fine," Webb said. "I felt great out there."
Schechtman and Brodie saw different fates as each lost their singles match and finished the day with two losses.
After losing the first set 6-0, Schechtman turned around his performance in the second set, winning 6-2, only to be dominated again in the third set and lose 6-1. Schechtman's performance was filled with unforced errors. He was obviously very frustrated with himself and let it affect his play.
Following the match, coach Chuck Kinyon suggested that Schechtman's play was due to problems with his racquet.
"Jeff has been struggling with racquet selection," Kinyon said. "He played with the single-handed racquet over break and is now back with the two-handed racquet. It will take some time to get his rhythm."
Reyes, Sahu, and Maiers secured the victory for Dartmouth by winning their matches. Only Sahu had to go to a third set.
The overall play by the team showed its depth and proved that everyone has the ability to fill in and contribute.
"Reyes is playing very well right now. We are quite deep," Kinyon added. "That was Travis' first singles match in some time, and I felt he played well."
The match was a good launching pad going into Ivies. Play begins against Columbia on Friday and follows with a match against Cornell on Saturday. Both matches are at home.
