The odds were against the Jeffs from the beginning. Due to Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, only three of the eight team members could compete. Kept out of competition were Cohen, Co-captain Carolyn Pastel '01, and Heather Cole '02. Representing Amherst was the trio of Roopali Agarwal '03, Susanna Burke '03, and Wallis Molchen '04. Burke, who lost to teammate Cohen in the finals last year at Rolex, was the only one of the three to play last year at the Rolex.
Agarwal and Burke also represented Amherst in the doubles competition. Their first round opponent was a tough Bowdoin College duo, but Amherst took the match 9-8. In the second round, Agarwal and Burke had the misfortune of facing the number one seeded doubles pair from M.I.T. The Jeffs weren't able to pull this one out, losing 8-5.
Unfortunately the precedent of the second round exit set by the doubles team held throughout the singles tournament. Each of the three Amherst players met their end in similar fashion.
The first round of matches were no trouble for the Jeffs. Agarwal, facing an overmatched opponent, won 6-2, 6-3. Burke had a bye past the first round, and Molchen breezed through her first match.
The trouble began for Agarwal in the second set of her second round match against Diane Goldman of Trinity College. After winning the first set 7-6 and getting out to a lead in the second, Agarwal began to experience cramping. She was forced to retire, conceding the match. "I had worked very hard that match," said Agarwal. "It was disappointing that I couldn't finish it out, but it was still a good experience."
"I was very pleased with Roopali's play," said head coach Jackie Bagwell. "It was unfortunate that she wasn't able to pull off the upset due to injury."
Burke, entering the tournament as the number two seed, fell in the third round. In only her second match after coming back from an injury, Burke suffered a loss at the hands of a low-ranked player from Williams.
"Susanna was just not playing her best," said Bagwell. "She was playing a completely defensive game and was nervous, which is unusual for her."
Molchen met a similar second round defeat. Her opponent was the number one singles player from Bowdoin. She lost 6-4, 6-3.
"I wish I had played better," said Molchen. "I think that match was definitely winnable."
The Jeffs will be on the road again this coming weekend to take on NESCAC rivals Bowdoin and Bates College.