MEDFORD, Mass. – The No. 7 Bowdoin College women's tennis team utilized a 3-0 advantage in doubles action during a 6-3 triumph over No. 8 Tufts University in NESCAC Conference action on Friday in Medford, Massachusetts.
Senior Samantha Stalder, junior captain Tess Trinka and freshman Tasha Christ powered the Polar Bears (11-3, 5-2 in NESCAC) to victory, as all three athletes went 2-0 against the Jumbos (11-4, 4-2 in NESCAC). Christ clinched the match for the visitors during No. 4 singles, besting freshman Katherine Wiley in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5.
Freshman Sasa Jovanovic and senior captain Pilar Giffenig started the match with an 8-6 victory during the No. 3 flight over sophomores Tomo Iwasaki and Julia Keller. The Jumbos trotted out their top-caliber pair, featuring junior Lauren Louks and sophomore Mina Karamercan, at the No. 1 slot, but the star athletes were defeated by senior Joulia Likhanskaia and Stalder, 8-6.
Trinka and Christ teamed up for the Bears at the No. 2 slot, outlasting Wiley and sophomore Otilia Popa, 8-4, as the visitors took a commanding 3-0 lead into singles action.
The Jumbos faced a tall task entering the individual competition, as they needed to win five out of six events to come away with a win in the match. Karamercan definitely thought the comeback was possible, as she defeated Likhanskaia, 6-3, 7-6 (5), in a star-filled matchup atop the singles list.
With the degree of success present in Karamercan's accolade-filled rookie season, it was easy to expect the Istanbul, Turkey, native to plateau a little bit in her second season, but she has done just the opposite. She continues to lead the squad in the No. 1 slot on the singles and doubles side, as she currently boasts a remarkable 11-4 record in 2017 on the individual side.
Stalder responded for the visitors, rebounding from a 6-1 first-set setback to Iwasaki at the No. 3 slot, with 6-2 and 6-4 wins in the second and third, respectively. Christ followed suit for the visitors, as she clinched the match for the Jumbos at the No. 4 slot, giving the visitors a 5-1 lead.
Trinka defeated Louks, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, during No. 2 singles action, and then the Jumbos claimed the final two matches. Senior captain Alexa Meltzer improved to 10-3 in singles this spring, earning a 6-4, 6-0 triumph over Giffenig at the No. 5 slot. Senior captain Conner Calabro put a stamp on the event, defeating Jovanovic, 6-1, 6-2, during No. 6 singles, as she improved to 11-3 in singles matches during 2017.
The Jumbos will look to get back in the win column on Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. showdown against NESCAC Conference-rival Hamilton in Medford, Massachusetts.
Written by Trevor Wenners, Athletic Communications Intern
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