<nother infamous spring break trip to South Carolina behind them, the women’s tennis team kicked off spring term with a trip across town to play rival St. Olaf. Wednesday, amidst blustery conditions, Carleton got off to a slow start in doubles competition. Frances Leung ’10 and Devin Daugherty ’11 were the first team to earn a point at third doubles, pulling ahead of their opponents with an 8-4 score. Kathryn Schmidt ’12 and Erin Gudul ’12 faced a steep deficit at first doubles, falling behind 5-2 in the eight game pro-set. Never a team to crumble under pressure, the freshmen mounted an epic comeback to win 8-6 and give Carleton an early 2-1 lead in team points.
As the day got colder and windier, the Knights used their doubles momentum to start off with a bang in singles. Schmidt at first singles and Daugherty at sixth singles both won in straight sets to give the team four of the five points needed for a win. At third singles, Leung won the first set 6-3 and lost the second 6-4. During the third set superbreaker she staged a dramatic comback of her own, falling behind 8-5 before winning five points in a row for a final score of 10-8. She was closely followed by another 3-set battle won by Gudul at second singles, cementing a solid 6-3 victory for the Knights.
Now tied with Gustavus Adolphus College for first in the MIAC, Carleton faces GAC today on Bell Field at 3 pm. The match will determine which team is deserving of the number one seed going into the conference tournament. The two teams are the only schools that have remained undefeated in conference play so far this year. The Knights will be looking to spoil Gustavus’ several year hold on the conference’s one bid to the national tournament. Rumor has it that the Cheer Boys will make an appearance, a first in women’s tennis history.