MEDFORD, Mass. – Senior captain Conner Calabro held the clutch gene on Wednesday for the No. 8 Tufts University women's tennis team, as she posted a match-clinching win during No. 6 singles in a 5-4 triumph over No. 12 Amherst in Medford, Massachusetts.
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| Julia Keller was a pivotal reason the Jumbos won at No. 3 doubles. |
The Jumbos (11-3, 4-1 in NESCAC) went 2-1 in doubles action and an even 3-3 on the singles side against the Purple & White (5-6, 3-2 in NESCAC). Junior Lauren Louks led the way for the Jumbos with a two-win day, emerging victorious during No. 2 singles and at the No. 1 doubles flight.
Freshman Anya Ivenitsky went 2-0 for the Purple & White, winning at the No. 3 singles slot and in No. 2 doubles action.
Amherst claimed the first point of the match, with junior captain Avery Wagman and Ivenitsky earning an 8-2 win over freshman Katherine Wiley and sophomore Otilia Popa during the No. 2 flight. Sophomores Tomo Iwasaki and Julia Keller formed a great unit at No. 3 doubles, outdoing senior captains Claire Carpenter and Megan Adamo, 8-3.
Louks and sophomore Mina Karamercan closed out the doubles matches with an 8-4 victory against sophomore Kelsey Chen and freshman Camille Smukler at the top slot, giving the Jumbos a 2-1 advantage heading into singles competition.
Ivenitsky and Iwasaki opened up singles action at the No. 3 slot, as Ivenitsky won in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-0, evening the match at 2-2. Louks allowed the Jumbos to regain their lead, as she posted a three-set victory over Chen at the No. 2 slot. Louks won the first set, 6-1, and then Chen fired back with a 6-2 triumph during second-set action. Louks was dominant in the decisive third set, posting a 6-0 win.
Karamercan started out with a 6-3 victory over Smukler during No. 1 singles action, but then Smukler posted 6-3 and 6-4 wins in the second and third, respectively, knotting the match up at 3-3.
Wiley starred at the No. 4 slot, besting sophomore Camilla Trapness, 6-4, 7-5. Wiley, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is now 10-3 in singles action during her remarkable rookie season.
Calabro then clinched the match with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Wagman at the No. 6 slot. Senior captain Alexa Meltzer and Adamo concluded the match with a thrilling battle at the No. 5 slot, as Meltzer won the opening set, 6-2. Adamo forced a third set with a 6-3 victory in the second, and then came through in the clutch during a 7-6 (7-5) third-set victory.
The Jumbos will take on NESCAC Conference rival and No. 7 Bowdoin on Friday at 3 p.m. in Medford, Massachusetts.
Written by Trevor Wenners, Athletic Communications Intern
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