The women's tennis team defeated Bates 7-2 on Thursday afternoon, kicking off its spring NESCAC season on a high note. The top five singles players and the top two doubles teams overpowered Bates, bringing the Bears to an 4-4 overall record.
The match was the Bears' first match since returning from their trip to California, where they won three matches and lost four.
"Our schedule in California was very strong," Rachel Waldman '09 said. "We played two teams that are ranked top-10 in the country."
"Transitioning from Farley Field House to sunny California is always a challenge, but it was nice to get out and play, and see what we could do," Liz Pedowitz '10 added.
Defeating Bates gives the team momentum going into the season.
"It was great to come back to Maine and defeat a NESCAC team, it really boosted our confidence after such a tough trip out West," Waldman said.
Most notably, captain Sarah D'Elia '09 remained undefeated this season with her 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles. Emily Lombardi '12, Rachel Waldman '09, Liz Pedowitz '10, and Charlotte Hitch '09 also defeated their singles opponents in straight sets.
"Sarah and Emily, our two top players continue to gain points for Bowdoin at the top of the ladder, which is great motivation for the rest of the team," Waldman said.
"Senior Charlotte Hitch also had a great win playing a hard-hitter," Waldman added. "It was great to see her confidence rise as the match progressed."
The team looks positively into the future, and is getting excited for a successful season.
"After last spring, we realized that hard work really pays off so we are excited about the season that we have ahead of us," Pedowitz said. "We might not have the biggest team, but we definitely have the spirit to fight through tough matches, which makes me optimistic for the upcoming season."
The team will play Connecticut College at home this Sunday at 2 p.m.
"While Conn isn't one of our biggest rivals, we never take any match for granted, and we're looking forward to an exciting match on Sunday," Waldman said.