Tennis gets set to face top two teams in Ivy League

Seems like the warm weather was waiting to accompany the hot streak that women's tennis is starting. Just as the student body strips off their layers, women's tennis is about to strip its opponents raw.

Over spring break, the Bulldogs had a successful trip while playing against tough competition, including many traditionally strong West Coast squads. They finished the break with a big win against Wisconsin and have used the momentum they gained to their advantage. Last weekend they beat Boston College 4-3, an important victory to begin their Ivy League season.

COURTESEY SPORTS PUBLICITY Women's tennis begins its Ivy season this weekend against top Ivy League teams Penn and Princetonn.

To open Ivy play, the Bulldogs face their two toughest competitors in top-ranked Penn and Princeton, ranked second in the league. Adding to the challenge facing the Elis is the fact that both games are away. The following weekend Yale continues Ivy competition against Colombia and Dartmouth at home. In the next two weekends the Ivy League crown may very well be decided, but right now the title is yet unclaimed. As Biffy Kaufman, SY '03, said, "We've had two really great wins and everyone is healthy. Really, anything could happen at this point."

The team will rely especially on Kaufman's strong singles and doubles play, but it has a deep roster with numerous quality players. The number one, two and three singles spots are filled by the talented Andrea Gol-dberg, TD '02, Margaret Purcell, ES '04, and Kauf-man, proving that the team doesn't rely on just one class and can draw from different levels of experience. Additionally, the number-two doubles team of twin freshmen Ashley and Karlyn Martin, both JE '04, provides the doubles squad with added depth.

Current players praise Coach Meg-han McMahon for her excellent job training the team. Kaufman noted, "Coach McMahon has trained us really hard and has taught us a lot. When she went here, the team won the Ivies, and with her coaching us, we plan to do it all over again."

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