During its spring season, which began on March 17 in a match against Bowdoin College, the Big Green (14-8, 6-1 Ivy) played five 4-3 matches against conference opponents and emerged victorious in all of them, despite losing the doubles point in each of the contests.
Co-captain Georgiana Smyser '11 said the amount of 4-3 wins was a rare occurrence for the Dartmouth women's tennis program.
"This year, we've had closer matches than I've ever had playing for Dartmouth," she said. "I actually don't think it's typical [to play so many 4-3 matches]. I think it kind of indicates that we were really tough throughout the season, that we were able to pull out in those matches."
Co-captain Molly Scott '11 agreed with Smyser, adding that she was relieved all of the Big Green's close matches had favorable outcomes.
"I think this year was closer than any of my other three years," she said. "We've never had so many 4-3 matches before, and, fortunately, they all went our way."
Co-captain Ryan Reichel '11 said she was less surprised at the close matches, explaining that many other teams in the League had similar records this year.
"I don't think it's that unusual," she said. "There were a lot of really good teams, so I'm not that surprised that there were so many close matches."
Throughout its entire spring season, the team was unable to take the doubles point in any League faceoff, with the exception of the match against the University of Pennsylvania on April 10.
"It didn't really happen for us this year," Reichel said. "Luckily, we have very strong singles players."
The tennis team began its season in September and played many nonconference matches, including the Big Green Invitational, the ITA Kickoff Weekend and the ECAC Winter Championship. However, Smyser, Scott and Reichel agreed that the League games, which began in April, were the most thrilling for the team.
The matches against Brown University, Princeton University and Harvard were the team's most rewarding wins, according to Smyser.
"For me, winning that deciding match against Harvard was the most exciting," she said.
Scott said she enjoyed Dartmouth's win against Princeton on April 9, as the Tigers finished last season undefeated in Ivy League play. Scott led the way in that victory, defeating reigning Ivy League Player of the Year Hilary Bartlett at first singles in only two sets.
"To beat the previous Ivy League Champions was exciting," Scott said.
Although the tennis team will be losing its three seniors, the current captains said they are confident the team will keep up the intensity next year and challenge the Ancient Eight in taking another League Championship.
"We have some really good recruits coming in next year," Reichel said. "If they keep up the really good work ethic we've embodied all year, I think their possibilities are limitless."
Smyser echoed Reichel, but added that she will have a hard time leaving the team.
"It's going to be really tough for us to leave, obviously, but they have a really great group of '15s coming in," she said.
Of the three outgoing seniors, Scott is the only one who plans to continue her tennis career at the professional level.
"I am planning on playing on a smaller-level professional tournament for about a year," she said. "I'll start that about a month or two after graduation."
Both Reichel and Smyser plan to play tennis recreationally after graduation.
Reichel said she is still figuring out what she will be doing after Dartmouth, while Smyser will be working full-time at Bridgewater but said she hopes to continue playing family doubles matches with both her parents and her younger sister, who plays on the Middlebury College women's tennis team.
"I'm definitely going to miss going to practice every day so much," Smyser said. "I don't know what I'm going to do without it."
