While the team has always been known for its powerful singles play-many of the players have always specialized in singles-it has also focused attention on improving the team's doubles performance. The players should be justifiably proud of the doubles results from Friday's match, when Raverta-Menezes defeated Ramak-Poe (8-3), Snyder-Murphy defeated Fallon-Bawden (8-1) and Miller-Stein defeated Coleman-Barklis (8-2).
"Everyone played very focused and aggressive singles matches," said Murphy. "And we were able to carry that intensity to the doubles matches. It was a great chance to incorporate some of the new doubles strategies we had been working hard on in practice all week."
Over Spring Break in Virginia, the team got to play some of the nation's top-ranked teams. The team missed out on the stereotypical Spring Break weather, as Virginia was rather cool, and rain was sometimes a factor. There was an upside, however: The Jeffs were able to play some tough competition from schools across the country, and the difficult weather helped prepare the team for the difficult New England weather that they will have to face throughout the season. "The playing conditions were difficult in Virginia because of the cold and wind," said Raverta. "But it will help us in the long run. Playing in the wind in Virginia helped us deal with the windy condition at Conn. College."
In Virginia, the team's schedule included Washington and Lee University, Carnegie Mellon University and Gustavus Adolphus College. On March 23, the third-ranked Jeffs fell victim tosecond-ranked Washington and Lee in the 2006 Fab Five tournament. Amherst lost by a 7-2 score, stealing two singles matches, but dropping all of the doubles matches. Menezes and Miller were victorious for Amherst at third and fifth singles, respectively. All three doubles teams went down, but the duos of Raverta-Menezes and Stein-Miller put up tough fights and did not make victory easy for their opponents, giving up their matches 8-6 and 8-5, respectively.
In other action in the 2006 Fab Five tournament, the Jeffs easily handled 12th-ranked Carnegie Mellon University by a 8-1 score. The Jeffs swept the singles competition, allowing only two matches to go to three sets. The players dictated the points, attacking the opponents and executing successfully.
The success in singles against Carnegie Mellon carried over to the doubles as the Jeffs won two out of the three matches. In first, Raverta and Menezes teamed up to defeat Staloch and Iyer by a 8-5 score. Second-seeded Snyder and Murphy defeated Schultz and David, 8-4. Unfortunately, at third doubles, the tandem of Miller and Stein fell victim to Nakamura and Liu.
In Amherst's final match of the tournament, the Jeffs were outmatched 5-3 against Gustavus Adolphus. Due to the weather and time, the athletes were only able to play pro sets, opposed to a full two out of three set match. Some of the scores could have gone either way, with both Menezes and Murphy giving up their matches after very close fights. Raverta and Snyder both won their contests, and Stein was leading Jenni White, 4-3, after the match was called off as Gustavus Adolphus had already clinched the victory. In the doubles action, which Amherst focused on in the preseason, Amherst lost two out of three matches. Miller and Stein joined forces at third doubles as they won their match by a 8-4 score. Raverta and Menezes fell at first doubles, 8-4, and Snyder and Murphy were blanked, 8-0.
Overall, the match play and experience in Virginia should be very beneficial for the Jeffs in their upcoming NESCAC competition. If the season goes according to plan, Amherst could run into these teams in the national tournament. "We really got a chance to hit the ground running this season by getting an early look at our top national competition," said Miller. "While it's not going to be easy, we know that if we buckle down and focus on the little things, we should be able to have another rewarding season."
The Lord Jeffs return to the courts this weekend to face a tough Middlebury College squad in Vermont. "We've been working on things," said Miller. "And we have built confidence and momentum going into a big weekend against Middlebury and Tufts [University]."
NESCAC Notes
Amherst learned about the tough competition outside of the NESCAC while in Virginia. The other top NESCAC teams also had some struggles against top national competition. In the fall season, Williams College is currently 3-2. In spring break action in Virginia, Williams defeated Carnegie and Mellon, but also fell to Washington and Lee and Emory University. Middlebury is 4-2, and, just like Williams, lost to Washington and Lee and Emory.