Kristen Raverta '06 returned to the lineup in the top slot, after missing the season-opening West Coast swing due to strep throat, and she continued to play well. In her first match since last fall, Raverta took a straight-set victory over the Panthers' top player. In the first set Raverta breezed to a 6-0 win, but in the second she had to fight harder to take a 7-6 (1) win in the tiebreak.
In the second singles slot Rachel Holt '05 continued her steady play with a 6-2, 6-2 win. After taking over the top spot on the singles ladder for the first four matches, Holt dominated her usual space.
Holt's doubles partner, Tristan Hedrick '05, had an even easier day, whitewashing her opponent with a 6-0, 6-0 win.
The toughest win of the match came from Hadley Miller '06. Miller fell behind after losing the first set 2-6, but she battled back with a 6-2, 6-4 finish to take the win.
In the final two singles slots the Jeffs split with the Panthers. Co-captain Roopali Agarwal '03 took a 6-5, 6-2 win in the fifth and Erin Murphy '05 fell in three sets in the final match.
The lone Jeffs' doubles loss came in the second slot where Raverta and Miller were defeated 8-4. Holt and Hedrick combined for an 8-1 win in the top spot, while Murphy and Wallis Molchen '04 took an 8-6 win in the third match.
On Tuesday, the Jeffs pulled out a hard-fought 6-3 victory over a formidable Tufts University squad. The Jeffs used a strong effort at the top three singles positions as Raverta, Holt and Hedrick all won their matches in two sets.
The number one doubles team of Holt and Hedrick as well as the second doubles team of Raverta and Miller both defeated their Tufts counterparts in impressive fashion.
"We all played especially well and were excited to win two out of three doubles matches," said Hedrick. "We had a couple of long matches, it was an emotional victory."
The Jeffs now enter the busiest stretch of the season, with three important matches in the next 10 days. First, Amherst will travel to Williams College for the NESCAC Tournament this weekend. After completing play on Sunday, the Jeffs' next match will be in Williamstown again, where they take on the defending national champion Ephs. The Jeffs complete this grueling stretch a week from Saturday when they play host to Wellesley College.