Wins against Colby and Middlebury propelled the women’s tennis team to regain its footing after losing three matches in a row to Amherst, Williams and Emory.
In March the Polar Bears’ Spring Break trip to California catapulted them to an unscathed 8-0 record. But they had yet to face their NESCAC foes that typically cluster near the top of the national rankings.
After the three-game skid, the Polar Bears rebounded last week with a 9-0 victory over Colby, and then solidified their momentum by toppling perennial rival Middlebury.
The decisive match came down to a third set between Tiffany Cheng ’16 against Middlebury’s Leah Kepping.
Emma Chow ’15 said the team’s ability to power through difficult three-set matches is a key improvement for the Polar Bears.
Though a first year helped decide the victory, Chow attributed some of the team’s success to the team’s mental preparation for the dramatic and competitive rivalry with Middlebury. Though Middlebury is a dominant program, Bowdoin upset the Panthers to reach the NCAA Elite Eight last year.
Though the Middlebury win was important for the team, losses to Amherst, Williams and Emory showed room for growth.
“The key for us is working on our doubles,” Chow said.
Because tennis matches begin with the three doubles, their results can often set the tone for the rest of the match. The Polar Bears have struggled with momentum after doubles—in the Amherst loss they were down 3-0 and against Williams they were down 2-1.
Williams is the defending four-time national champion and was tied in the rankings for third with Middlebury and Emory. This year, though, Williams has been beaten.
This opening of the rankings is a surge of confidence for the Polar Bears.
“This is the first time it seems to be who is best on that day,” Chow said.
With matches against Brandeis, Bates and Tufts left before the start of the postseason, Chow hopes the Polar Bears are peaking at just the right time to upset powerhouses like Middlebury when it counts.
The Polar Bears will host Brandeis tomorrow for an out-of-conference match, before playing against Bates on Thursday and Tufts the following weekend.