Women's tennis enjoys opening weekend

On Saturday, Sept. 13, they traveled to Trinity College (0-2) where they swept the three doubles matches. “I think being up 3-0 [Saturday] after the doubles gave us the edge in confidence and settled any nerves,” said captain Wallis Molchen ’04.

Rachel Holt ’05 and Tristan Hedrick ’05 are an experienced pair, but the other two teams are newly formed. Hadley Miller ’06 and Erin Murphy ’05 won a close 8-6 second doubles decision. Coach Jackie Bagwell explained, “Hadley and Erin are a good combination because they are both very confident, both real team players and both are good at mixing up their shots and thinking out of the box.” Molchen and Katie Hudson ’07 rounded out the doubles pairs with their 8-1 victory in Hudson’s first college match.

“Trinity’s ability to keep it together when things got close were not there,” said Bagwell, noting, however, that the two opposing teams had comparable skill levels.

Holt had a close 6-4, 7-6 win in number two singles. According to her coach, her edge was mental. “The match was neck and neck with the difference being that Rachel was more composed and confident than her opponent,” said Bagwell. “Although things were tight, Rachel kept her emotions on an even keel and did not panic the times she got behind.”

Likewise, teammates Molchen, who played third, and Miller, fourth, “had formidable opponents, but again both showed an inner confidence that their opponents just didn’t have,” according to Bagwell. Molchen won 6-3, 6-3 and Miller 6-2, 6-2.

Hedrick lost to Trinity’s Diana Goldman in first singles and hurt her arm. Bagwell believes that she tore a muscle around the bicep area. Hedrick was unable to play on Sunday at Skidmore College (2-1), yet the team till had the depth necessary to win without a top player.

The doubles team of Murphy and Miller moved into the first slot and won 8-2, again demonstrating the pair’s prowess. Molchen and Hudson were also successful in their 8-4 victory. Holt teamed up with Miranda Kim ’06, and while they lost 8-3, they played well in their first time together and Kim’s first varsity match.

In singles, Kim played sixth, and her hard work over the past year paid off as she won decisively 6-3, 6-0. Her teammates were pleased to see her step into a varsity role with such success.

All the singles matches were won, most decisively. Holt, at the first singles position, dropped just two games in her two sets and Murphy, playing fifth, one. Molchen played second and Miller third, both winning solidly.

It was Hudson who played, according to Bagwell, the “match of the day.” After losing the first set 6-4, she managed a second set win in a tie breaker. Despite a shaky start in the third set, she won by combining “aggressiveness with some well-timed defense and eventually pulled out the match with some brilliant plays,” said Bagwell. “I think Katie won the respect of everyone in the crowd, especially her coach and veteran teammates,” she added.

“It was nice to see us win both [of our matches] so convincingly,” said Holt, noting that this was especially so because the team is without all of its players. “We are definitely looking forward to Tristan getting healthy again,” added Holt.

After a great 2-0 start to their fall season, the women are preparing for their match at Wesleyan University on Friday, Sept. 19.