<men’s tennis team headed into a weekend of three matches needing at least two wins to stay in the running for a place in the MIAC conference tournament. The women opened play on Friday against College of St. Benedict. Despite massive wind gusts, Carleton took a 2-1 lead after doubles as Frances Leung ’10 and Hannah Goldberg ’10 at first doubles and Sarah Wehrly ’08 and Hannah Clemons ’10 at third doubles pulled out victories.
In singles, Leung started strong and then dropped the second set before pulling out a tense 10-7 victory in the third set tiebreak. Carleton’s only other victory in singles came when Wehrly won her third set with an identical score. Seven total tiebreakers were played, as St. Ben’s had to earn their narrow 5-4 victory.
With Friday’s loss behind them, the women turned their attention to Sunday, their first match on the Bell Field Courts this season and the first reunion with the men’s team since the infamous spring break escapade. The morning began with a decisive 9-0 victory for the men’s team against Hamline University.
Clear skies and the warmest day of 2008 seemed to be a good omen for both the men’s and women’s teams, as the genders joined forces in the afternoon and shared courts against Concordia. Following form, Leung and Goldberg won in another tiebreak at first doubles, while Lisa Ottum ’08 and Emily Ho ’09 won with a convincing 8-5 victory at third doubles.
The women then proceeded to reel off four singles victories, winning all except for fifth and sixth singles. Leung, Clemons and Ottum all won in two sets, while Wehrly won her second three-setter of the weekend, resulting in a 6-3 Carleton victory. The men were even more successful, blanking Concordia 9-0.
The women’s Monday match against Hamline University was another must-win situation. Once again, Leung and Goldberg were pushed to a tiebreak at one doubles and pulled out another tight victory. Ottum and Ho won 8-4 at two doubles, while Wehrly and Clemons dominated in an 8-0 victory at three doubles.
Leung, Ottum, Goldberg and Devin Daugherty ’11, were all victorious in singles, leading the Knights to a 7-2 victory and leveling their conference record to 5-5. This win clinched the women’s spot as the sixth seed in the MIAC conference tournament. They open the tournament Friday against Macalester College at Gustavus Adolphus College. The second-seeded men’s team has a first round bye and will play the winner of a first round game Saturday at Gustavus.