Amherst opened the week with a convincing 6-3 win last Thursday when they traveled to Wellesley College where they faced longer and narrower courts than they were used to. "The majority of the team took a game or two to find their footing," explained Annie MacRae '04.
Once again, Ashley Harmeling '05 and co-captain Susanna Burke '03 led the women. Each posted solid victories at the number one and two positions, respectively. In addition, co-captain Roopali Agarwal '03 lost only seven points en route to a commanding 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 victory at the number three position. In the team's most difficult win, MacRae was able to outlast Wellesley's Ann Miller, winning 9-7 in the fifth and deciding game. "I didn't feel like I hit my rhythm until the middle of the match," MacRae commented. The 11th-ranked Jeffs improved to 11-5 with their solid road victory.
On Sunday, the team traveled to Yale University to take on a formidable Princeton squad. Although the women fought-hard in some of the mid-level matches, they were unable to post a victory against the superior Tigers and consequently lost 9-0. Junior Liz Martin participated in the closest match of the day, but eventually fell to her opponent 9-3 in the fifth game. However, Martin did come back from down two games to force the deciding game.
The Lord Jeffs' schedule did not get any easier when the second-ranked Harvard Crimson came to Amherst on Monday. The Jeffs were unable to mount a significant threat against the superior Crimson. Once again, Martin lost in the most competitive match of the day as she took Harvard's Laura Delano to a fifth game, before bowing out 9-3. Despite a tough 9-0 loss at home, it is unlikely that the Jeffs will fall in the national polls since their defeats were to two dominating teams who are ranked in the top five nationally.
The Lord Jeffs return to Yale tonight to take on the third-ranked Bulldogs. The ladies will also play in the Little III Championships this Saturday.