Women's tennis team serves up a strong start

By Alice Kim

"We had a good time and every girl got a good night's sleep, which is difficult at Yale," team captain Naomi Zeff, SM '99, said. "We were able to be completely focused on tennis without the stressful distraction of school."

The team competed well against some tough teams, going 6-2 on the trip. "We're now winning a lot and we're subtly improving," Zeff added. The team is coming off a difficult fall season, in which many players suffered chronic injuries. The team also recently learned it will be without Barbara Ellis, BK '00, for the rest of the season. Ellis, who went a solid 8-5 last year, is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Julia Tiernan/YH

"Everyone that was injured is now healed and everyone should be winning in their numbers," Zeff said. Indeed, besides Ellis, all previously injured players have returned to play. Their return has sparked in the squad a hope and strength which may have been lacking. "There were injuries throughout the fall and winter--nothing ultra-serious--but it did hinder us," Ellis added.

With its players healthy once again, the team is finally beginning to regain some of its confidence. This was obvious in the squad's opening match of its trip, as the Elis cruised to a 7-2 triumph over a powerful Tennessee-Chattanooga team.

The Bulldogs' only two losses came against New Mexico and Fresno State, both nationally-ranked programs. The squad also picked up an impressive 5-4 win over a talented Long Beach State squad.

Ellis observed growth within the team during its early spring schedule, saying, "The players brought up their games a lot over the spring trip and showed a lot of potential." Zeff added, "So far we're having a very good season and have only lost a couple of games to great teams."

The schedule will be relentless once Ivy League play commences with the Tigers this weekend. The Tigers have already defeated a very good San Diego State squad. Both Yale and Princeton are serious contenders for the league title, and this weekend's match will give the winner an important head start in the race for a championship.

The Elis will rely on a deep lineup to overtake its league foes. Sara Naison-Phillips, BK '99, said, "For the first time, the team is incredibly deep. When in past years, you had maybe one or two players that could compete at an All-Ivy level, we have more than six apt players and the doubles are a lot stronger than we've ever been." Zeff, in her third-year on the team, said she is more optimistic than ever. "I've never been more confident in a team," she commented.

This is an experienced lineup. The Elis lost just one top player from last year, and return Naison-Phillips, Zeff, and Somer Khanlarian, SY '99, a triple-threat that is one of the league's strongest. Khanlarian received All-Ivy singles honors last year, and Naison-Phillips was a second-team all-league performer.

An especially strong freshman class, led by Lauren Muehl, TC '01, is another reason why this team's confidence continues to grow each week.

"We have a great shot at winning. Harvard, Penn, Brown--they're all tough, the whole Ivy League's strong as a whole," Naison-Phillips added. Zeff concluded, "No team should be intimidating to us."

Photo by Julia Tiernan.

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