Women's tennis streaks to four straight wins

The 15th-ranked women’s tennis team capped off a strong start to its post-break schedule by reeling off four straight wins in only five days. These wins came in dominating fashion as the team dropped only five individual matches, putting its overall record during that span to an impressive 31-5 in match play.

The streak started last Wednesday in Saratoga Springs, when Middlebury defeated Skidmore College. Led by #1 singles player Victoria Aiello ’12, the team had little trouble cruising to an 8-1 win, dropping only one singles match in close fashion.

On Saturday, the team traveled to Connecticut where it played matches in both Middletown and Hartford against Trinity College and Wesleyan University. Both schools put up little resistance as Middlebury rolled to a 17-1 day in match play (9-0, 8-1 respectively.)

The team wrapped up its weekend against a strong 23rd-ranked team from the College of New Jersey. This match proved to be the toughest test of the week for the Panthers, as they dropped three of six singles matches. However, a sweep in doubles play propelled the team to a decisive 6-3 win.

One of the important factors in this weekend’s play was that in each match Middlebury started with a different line-up. For example, Aiello, the team’s usual #1 singles player, ended the weekend 3-0, but got a rest in Saturday’s match at Wesleyan. Alexandra McAtee ’13, who dominated her opponent 12-4 over two sets, succeeded Aiello in the #1 spot.

“This just goes to show the depth of our team,” said Alyssa Puccinelli ’12. “With such a versatile line-up, these post-break wins have definitely boosted our confidence.” Puccinelli added, “it is difficult to find a player who has not been a significant contributor during this season.” Of the team’s 14 players, 10 of them contributed a winning match this past week alone.
Puccinelli also stated that “our team would not be the same without every member,” proving that important contributions have come from each player on and off the court.

While a 9-1 overall record is certainly something to be proud of, Middlebury has several tough opponents ahead in order to prove itself among the D-III national elite. NESCAC rivals Amherst and Williams are ranked number one and two in the nation respectively, and the Panthers face them both later this month. However, Puccinelli says that the team “knows that it has the drive and desire to continue [its] winning streak.”

Middlebury has three home matches this weekend, as it faces NESCAC rivals Bowdoin and Colby, and then takes on Colby-Sawyer College from New Hampshire. With the NESCAC tournament at Amherst less than a month away, the Panthers will look to continue their hot streak and eclipse their 11-10 record from 2008-2009. At the rate this team is winning matches, it could be primed for one of its best finishes in several years.