Yale's stars compete for team glory at the ECACs

The ECAC Team Championship is unique in that it is a team-based tournament, offering no individual honors other than the shared satisfaction of team success. Sixteen teams, including all eight of the Bulldogs' Ivy League foes, will compete in the tennis tournament on Sat., Oct. 6, and Sun., Oct. 7, at Harvard.

The Bulldogs are seeded fourth, behind Harvard, Princeton, and Brown, and will play Colgate in the opening round of the tournament. Coming off impressive performances over the past two weeks in the Princeton, Cornell, and Yale Invitational tournaments, the Elis should be ready to perform at the top of their games. "Playing three weekends in a row is a tighter than normal fall schedule," Ryan Coyle, BK '02, said. "But we're all in good shape for the ECACs."

In particular, Steve Berke, MC '03, will be fresh and well rested, as this is his 2001 debut. Berke, the Bulldogs' number-one seed despite not appearing in their previous two matches, was the Ivy League Player of the Year and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament last year.

Ryan Murphy, SY '05, who won the A Flight singles at Princeton, is seeded fourth. However, neither Captain Chris Shackleton, CC '02, the third seed, nor David Goldman, BK '04, the second seed, played last weekend either.

Traditionally, Ivy League schools field the strongest teams at the ECACs; they will give the Bulldogs the toughest challenge. Though Yale should contend for the title, all members of the team understand this is a tournament that brings out the best in their opponents. Coyle, who will partner in doubles with Goldman, stressed, "Now is the time to step up."

—Anthony Powell

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