For the fourth year in a row, the Jeffs advanced to the NCAA Final Four, falling excruciatingly short of their second national championship in the last four years.
In the Final Four the Jeffs were matched up against defending national champion Trinity University of Texas. In this matchup of the 1999 and 2000 champions Trinity came out on top but not by much.
Earlier in the season these two squads met, with the Jeffs dominating play and taking an 8-1 win. This time the matches were much closer.
The morning singles matches showed just how closely matched the two teams are. Co-captain Jamie Cohen '01, the Jeffs' top player, won a difficult three-set match. After falling 2-6 in the first set, Cohen turned the tables on her opponent, taking the second set 6-2. In the third set Cohen had a much easier time, winning 6-1.
At second singles Stephanie Fong '02 won by default, after her opponent was unable to continue in the third set. Fong had taken the first set 7-5, but lost the second, 4-6.
The only other Jeff win in the singles ladder came from Co-captain Carolyn Pastel '01 who was playing in the fifth slot. Pastel showed no mercy on her opponent, taking a quick 6-4, 6-1 victory.
With each team taking three singles matches, it was all tied up going into the afternoon doubles competition. Whoever came out on top here would advance to the national championship match, so everything was on the line.
Unfortunately, the Tigers took two of the three matches, so they would move on. The Jeffs got their one victory at the second doubles spot, where Fong and Heather Cole '02 took their match 9-8 (7-3) in a tiebreaker.
At first doubles Cohen and Vass Kozoulina '02 lost a tight 9-7 match, while at third doubles the duo of Susanna Burke '03 and Pastel lost a lopsided 8-0 match.
With a return trip to the national championship game out of the cards, the Jeffs were playing for pride the next day in the third-place game. Unfortunately, Emory University came into the matches red-hot and beat the Jeffs 7-2.
The Jeffs were only able to claim one win in the singles matches, with Fong winning a three-set match. She took the first set 6-2, fell 1-6 in the second, but then rebounded for a 6-2 win in the third.
Again in the doubles matches the Jeffs were only able to take home one victory out of the three. Cohen and Kozoulina had to go to the tiebreaker to win, and they pulled out a 9-8 (7-1) victory.
Cohen and Fong will participate in the national singles championships being held this week, but for the rest of the team the season is over.
Although the end of the season is a disappointment for the Jeffs, it was clearly a season to remember. The Jeffs entered the season on a high note, as they were picked by Sports Illustrated for Women as the preseason favorite for the national championship.
In their spring trip the Jeffs went to California and took on top-notch competition, emerging from the trip with only one loss-and it was a tight 5-4 loss to Division I powerhouse the University of California-Fullerton.
During the trip the Jeffs ascended to the number-one ranking in the Wingspanbank.com ITA rankings after disposing of Trinity-the previous top seed.
In the northern season the Jeffs did not lose a single doubles match, sweeping through difficult competition. In the NCAA Tournament the Jeffs hosted the regional tournament, and received a bye in the first round. In the second round they disposed of Wesleyan University 7-2 by winning all three doubles matches and taking four of the six singles contests. In the NCAA Quarterfinals the Jeffs traveled to San Antonio to take on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Jeffs had an easy time with their competition, taking another 7-2 victory. Again the Jeffs used the same formula, winning all of the doubles matches and taking four singles matches as well.
Including the fall season, the Jeffs finished with a 16-4 record.