The Jeffs fell to the Ephs 9-0, taking second place in the Little Three Championship. Co-Captain Caroline Shannon '07 lost 9-1, 9-1, 9-1, in the number one position, O'Brien suffered a 9-1, 9-3, 9-7, defeat in the number two position despite nearly winning the third game and Libby Martin fell 9-1, 9-4, 9-0, in the number three position. The Jeffs brought intensity to the court, but the Ephs' depth and drop shots carried them to a solid victory. "The Little Three Tournament is always a fun competition for Amherst; unfortunately, Williams is stronger than ever this year," said Martin of the Ephs, who are ranked second in the NESCAC.
On Sunday, the Jeffs lost to Bates College, 7-2, in their final home match of the regular season. Shannon lead the Jeffs in the number one position as the only woman to take a match off of Bates, which is ranked 10th in the nation. Shannon adjusted well, earning her four-game win in her last home match ever. "She had trouble returning my serves. Then I got down 8-1 in the second game and got back to 9-5 before losing the game. I came back and won the next two games, though," explained Shannon. "She had really good lobs and boasts, but I was able to overcome them by volleying her shots, putting her under pressure."
O'Brien's resilience kept her in a long-winded five-game match at the number two position, but she eventually lost, 3-2. "Emily played an amazing match," said Shannon. "She lost the first game, won the second, lost the third and went onto win the fourth game 10-9, which is as close as you can get, so that was really exciting."
Di Kirkwood '08 wrestled through the end of her match from the number six spot, showing strength throughout the third game, despite being unable to clinch the victory. Bates failed to bring nine players, forfeiting the final match.
Amherst's loss to Bates means it will be entering the National Tournament on Feb. 23 without the momentum for which it had hoped. The 18th-ranked Jeffs will be matched up against the best teams from across the country, and they are ready for the challenge. Luckily, the team has a week off preceding the Howe Cup, which should enable it to muster some confidence for the tournament.
Training this week will be light and will focus on areas that need fine-tuning, giving the Jeffs plenty of time to prepare mentally for potential rematches with some of their fiercest rivals. "The team is looking forward to the possibility of meeting rivals Middlebury, Colby and William Smith Colleges again this coming weekend at the Howe Cup," said Martin. The Jeffs aim to come out on top this time around.