Both crew teams and the women's tennis team had successful showings at home events this weekend. The women's tennis team won all but two matches over the course of the three-day Big Green Invite, while the men's and women's crew teams competed successfully at the novice-only Green Monster race.WOMEN'S TENNIS
The women's tennis team saw strong performances from several players. Co-captain Shelley Carpeni '12 and a trio of freshmen Akiko Okuda '15, Janet Liu '15 and Theresa Smith '15 recorded multiple singles victories. The team was also helped by co-captain Sarah Leonard '13, who returned from an injury to win both a singles and doubles match.
Carpeni credited much of the team's success over the three days to its "really high intensity and energy level all three days," which she said was enabled by an increased emphasis on fitness this term.
Leonard echoed Carpeni, adding that the new training regimen especially pays dividends at weekend-long tournaments like the Invite.
"We train harder during the week than you play so that tournaments feel easy," Leonard said.
The team also benefited from a home-court advantage. In its first home matches of the season, the team enjoyed notable fan support, which Carpeni and Leonard said helped motivate the team.
"It's nice to see faces you know in the crowd," Leonard said. "Playing at home is the best and it clearly shows in how well we did this week."
The team now takes a break from play before its winter season begins in January. Carpeni said team members will focus on their health and fitness in the meantime.
In addition to physical training, the team also concentrates on improving its skills by spending time on the courts. The team aims to keep up on match play and work with coaches on a more individual basis.
"Even without practice, most people tend to hang around the tennis center anyways," Leonard said.
CREW
The men's and women's crew teams raced well in the Dartmouth-hosted Green Monster on the Connecticut River on Saturday.
The men's heavyweight boat finished first in its 24-team race, beating second-place College of the Holy Cross by over a minute. The lightweights placed two boats in the top 10, finishing behind only Harvard University in the lightweight category. The women's team also won its division, edging out Boston College by two seconds and beating 15 other teams.
The all-novice race format allowed the crew to continue to build team chemistry, but also threw novice rowers into a new situation in which they were featured as the main attraction. Gianna Guarino '15 noted that there were "big shoes to fill because the freshmen won last year."
The team also scouted out its future competition, which appears to be at a very high level. Harvard showed impressive depth on the men's side, placing its two lightweight boats in third and fourth place. Boston College's women's team also performed well, with its two boats finishing in second and third.
The Dartmouth teams benefited from rowing their home courses. The river is notoriously plain and, without much experience, can be difficult for coxswains to navigate effectively.
Guarino credited the efforts of the Dartmouth coxswains for much of the teams' success.
"We definitely got a faster course by staying in the middle of the river while other teams tried to cut corners," she said.
The teams finish the Fall season at the Foot of the Charles in Boston. The women race on Nov. 12 while the men race on Nov. 19.
