LEWISTON, ME (March 4, 2023) - The Tufts University women's tennis team, ranked #8 nationally, earned a 7-2 win at Bates College in a NESCAC match to begin their 2023 spring season today.
Played indoors, Tufts (1-0) took two out of the three doubles matches to build a lead. They were up just 3-2 in singles when junior
Rebecca Lim in fourth singles and sophomore
Sophie Wax in the first match came off with wins to clinch the team victory. The host Bobcats, who have already played matches on their spring trip this season, fell to 2-3 overall.
The Jumbos got started with an 8-2 victory in third doubles by the veteran pair of
Caroline Garrido and
Madeline Suk. Bates tied the match at 1-1 with Joanna Atwater and Ally Friedman winning the #1 doubles contest 8-2 over
Tilly Rigby and
Rachel Cranley of the Jumbos. Wax and junior
Zoe Kava pulled out an 8-5 win in second doubles to give Tufts the important advantage heading into singles.
Suk stormed to a 6-1, 6-3 win in fifth singles over Bobcat Ava Lyon putting the visitors ahead 3-1 in the team score. Bates kept it close again though, as Atwater won quickly too in the second match over Cranley 6-1, 6-3 for a 3-2 score. The Jumbos would add to their lead though as Lim's 6-4, 6-4 final against Bates' Alexandra Daquino made it 4-2 and Wax won 6-3, 6-4 versus Friedman for the clinch.
Tufts went on to win five of the six singles matches. First-year
Lucy Mitchell won her spring schedule debut on the third singles court 6-2, 6-2 over Laura Littlefield. Kava closed the action winning her #6 match versus Drew Williams by 6-3, 7-6 (4) scores.
Head coach
Kate Bayard's Jumbos play at Division I and Ivy League opponent Brown University next on Tuesday.
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--JUMBOS--
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