CLAREMONT, CA – The Tufts women's tennis team played their first match in just about five months as they traveled to California to open up their spring break trip on Monday. The Jumbos weren't able to top La Verne, falling to the Leopards, 6-3.
The Jumbos found themselves in a small hole early, only being able to take one of the three doubles matches. Senior Samantha Gann (Massapequa, NY) and rookie Jacqueline Baum (Highland Park, IL) won at #3 singles easily, topping Allison Moncrief and Lauren Torres of La Verne, 8-1.
The other wins for the Jumbos came in singles play as first-year Conner Calabro (Sherman Oaks, CA) played at #4 singles and cruised past Moncrief, 6-1, 6-0. Senior Rebecca Kimmel (Longmeadow, MA) also had no problem at #6 singles, downing Torres, 6-1, 6-2.
Senior Shelci Bowman (Dallas, TX) and freshman Alexa Meltzer (New York, NY) played at #1 doubles, but weren't able to top their Leopard counterparts. Calabro and fellow classmate Chelsea Hayashi (San Anselmo, CA) gave La Verne's Bridget Etchegaray and Andrea Madrigal a challenge at #2 doubles, falling 8-6.
Gann played at #1 singles and was able to take a set from Madrigal, but ended up falling, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Meltzer had some trouble at #2 singles, falling to her Leopard opponent, 6-2, 6-3. At #3 singles Laina Matsuda of La Verne was able to defeat Bowman. Etchegaray had her work cut out for her at #5 singles, but was able to top Baum, 7-6(3), 6-1.
This was the first of the Jumbos scheduled matches for their spring break trip. They will be back in action on Thursday as they take on Denison at 12:30 pm.
