Hadley Miller '06 remarked that the trip was "successful in that we got off to a great start and beat the teams that we felt like we should've beaten."
On March 15, the women swept seventh-ranked Pomona-Pitzer College 9-0, without dropping a single set to the 4-5 Sagehens. Tristan Hedrick '05 returned to the first singles position after a fall spent recuperating from an arm injury and played to a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Kristen Raverta '06 won second singles and Rachel Holt '05 took third singles. Miller filled in at fourth singles for captain Wallis Molchen '04,-who is recovering from a concussion-and stepped up to win her match.
Molchen won her fifth singles matchup as well. "I am on my way back to where I want to be but still not 100 percent," said Molchen. Katie Hudson '07 filled out the roster, winning sixth singles.
In doubles, Holt and Hedrick paired to win the first fight 9-7. Raverta and Molchen won second doubles in a tiebreaker, while Miller and Erin Murphy '05 solidly won third doubles.
Two days later, the team defeated 13th-ranked Redlands University (5-5), 7-2. While Hedrick fell to her Bulldog opponent in first singles, Raverta, Holt and Miller each won in second, third and fourth singles, respectively. Molchen won fifth in a tiebreaker, and Hudson took her match in sixth in three sets.
Hedrick and Holt won first doubles 8-2 and Murphy and Miller won third doubles 8-5. In second doubles, Raverta and Molchen were the other Jeff loss in a close 6-8 set.
The team next played against Div. I California State University-Fullerton (9-6), who handed Amherst its first loss of the season. The Titans defeated the Jeffs 5-2, taking four singles matches plus all three doubles. Hedrick at first and Holt at third singles were the only two Jeffs to win.
It took three sets for Miller to be defeated by her Titan opponent. Raverta and Molchen in second doubles and Miller and Murphy in third doubles both lost close matches 7-9.
For their final West Coast match, the Jeffs defeated the 14th-ranked Claremont, Harvey Mudd and Scripps Colleges (7-3). In the 7-2 victory, the women won all three doubles matches. Hedrick and Holt won 8-2 in first, Raverta and Molchen took an 8-3 victory in second and Miller and Murphy pulled out a 9-8 win in third doubles.
"Over break, we really specifically worked on our doubles play which I feel is improving," said Molchen. Miller agreed that in doubles especially they are in a good position for the season. "That was our big focal point on the trip," said Miller.
Hedrick, Raverta, Holt and Molchen won first, second, third and fifth singles, each in straight sets. Miller and Hudson were defeated by their Athena opponents at fourth and sixth singles.
"I think these matches were a great start to the season ... we played solidly but there is always something to work and to continue improving," said Molchen. "We played well overall but I think we all know we need to step it up to get the job done the rest of the season."
"Right now, the team looks to have a promising spring season and national aspirations," said Raverta.
The women face Brandeis University and Bates College on Saturday in a twinbill.