Middletown, CT - The ITA regional tournament hosted by Wesleyan roared into its second day, and despite the rain forcing all play indoors, the excitement remained palpable. The singles B draw, where Margaux Molyneux had been making waves, unfortunately succumbed to cancelation due to the weather. However, the action intensified as the remaining Eph teams dove into the doubles arena early in the morning.
Erica Ekstrand and Yuu Ishikawa faced off against a formidable Tufts team, battling fiercely but ultimately falling short with a score of 5-8. Reflecting on their performance, Yuu Ishikawa remarked, "We had all the right setups, but the execution wasn't there today." Yet, she exuded confidence in their ability to bounce back even stronger with more practice. Meanwhile, Margaux Molyneux and Jane Ladaga kicked off the morning with a display of patience from the baseline and aggression at the net, securing a dominant victory against a seasoned Tufts team at 8-3. Their momentum hit a speed bump in the next match, where they fell to the one seeds from Babson. Nevertheless, this dynamic pairing showcased great promise in their inaugural outing.
The spirits remained high as three Ephs continued their singles journey in the A draw. They competed alongside one another, with their teammates cheering from the sidelines. Yuu Ishikawa confronted a top-seeded opponent from Middlebury, engaging in close rallies and numerous deuce points. Ultimately, Middlebury emerged victorious. Erica Ekstrand played some of her best tennis of the weekend in her match against Amherst, tactically maneuvering her opponent around the court and securing a commanding 6-2 first-set win. Her opponent made some smart adjustments and while Ekstrand fought hard, she was not able to close the match out. Annabelle Siegel unleashed her signature forehand to overpower her opponent in the first set, perfectly executing many swinging volleys at the net. However, her Babson opponent, renowned for her agility, clawed her way back into the match. Siegel fought valiantly but was ultimately edged out in a nail-biting 4-6 set, followed by a third-set breaker.
Eph head coach Anik Cepeda shared her perspective on the weekend's performances, saying, "The coaches are motivated and encouraged after our performances this weekend. The results didn't go our way today, but we know that this team is hungry to improve and willing to put in the effort needed to get there. We're excited for the next practice!" It was a weekend of incredible effort and determination from all the Ephs, and the team is primed and eager to return to the courts, armed with the lessons learned and the drive to excel.
Results:
Doubles:
Molyneux/Ladaga vs. Kava/Lim (Tufts) 8-3
Ishikawa/Ekstrand (Williams) vs. Woodbury/Hu (Tufts) 5-8
Molyneux/Ladaga (Williams) vs. Soffer/Cristiani (Babson) 0-8
Singles:
Yuu Ishikawa (Williams) vs. Sahana Raman (Middlebury) 6-1, 6-0
Erica Ekstrand (Williams) vs. Delilala Friedman (Amherst) 6-2, 4-6, 0-1(4)
Annabelle Siegel (Williams) vs. Matia Cristiani (Babson) 6-4, 4-6, 0-1(3)
