In the six singles matches, Williams dropped only one set and the Ephs won all three of the doubles matches. "There were no positives from Saturday's match whatsoever," said Head Coach Peter Robson. "We didn't lose because of lack of talent, but because our guys didn't step up when they had to. Most of our guys are as talented as anyone in the NESCAC, they just need to believe in themselves."
With the loss to Williams, Amherst must now win their three remaining NESCAC games against Connecticut, Middlebury and Bowdoin Colleges in order to qualify for NCAAs. The Lord Jeffs face formidable opposition in their quest to return to NCAA postseason play. "I hope this match against Williams will serve as a wake-up call to the team," said Robson.
Playing in the number four singles position, George Tsai '02 was the only Jeff who managed to win a set. Tsai took the first set off of his opponent, Daniel Murray, 6-2, but Murray finished strong, securing the win. The rest of the afternoon proved to be even more disheartening for Amherst. In the number one singles slot, Bryan Wexler '02, who has been a steadying force for the Jeffs all season long, was easily dispatched by Josh Lefkowitz, 6-1, 6-2. In number two singles, Adam Leibsohn '03 also met stiff resistance, falling 6-1, 6-3. The bottom half of Robson's lineup was able to compete with Williams in the opening sets. In addition to Tsai, Andy Tsai '03, Will Abbott '05 and Andrew Merle '04 all hung tough in their respective opening sets before giving way to their opponents; they lost their matches in the number three, five and six slots.
"Most everyone was more or less either playing a very close first set or in position to win the first set, but a few points here or there made the difference," said Tsai. "It's always tough when you lose a close first set, but we just need to keep on fighting. I'm not sure what happened [Saturday], but many of us, myself included, didn't perform as well after the first set." Amherst struggled in the doubles as well, losing all three eight-game pro sets; the Jeffs have yet to earn a point in doubles this spring. Tsai and co-captain Peter Ransmeier '02 played number two doubles together and performed the most admirably of Amherst's three doubles pairings. They fought their opponents to the end, but ultimately dropped the match 8-6.
Today, Amherst will host Connecticut College in a pivotal league contest. Robson will undoubtedly be curious to see how his team responds after the big letdown this weekend. "It's always disappointing to lose, especially to Williams," said Tsai. "It's tough, but I'm confident we will bounce back and finish the season strongly. If we play well, I believe we will win the rest of our matches and have a shot at beating Williams at regionals."