BENNINGTON, VT— The #19 Ephs (8-7 overall, 4-5 NESCAC) had a strong win today against the Trinity College Bantams in their second-to-last match of the regular season. The Ephs swept doubles and five of six singles matches, claiming a 6-1 win.
In doubles, the number two pairing of sophomore
Ahn Lin and junior
Mia Thomann continued their good form. The pair rarely set a foot wrong, earning a tidy 6-0 win with clean striking and volleys. At number one, junior
Jane Ladaga and senior
Yuu Ishikawa followed suit, with aggressive net play and blazing returns helping them to a 6-1 win. The pair were placed at number 9 in the country in this week's Division III rankings. At number three, the first-year pairing of
Mia Roets and
Ellie Stark debuted. While the opponents exchanged games for much of the set, solid baseline rallies and timely volleys saw the Williams duo pull ahead when it mattered most for a 6-4 win, completing the sweep for the Ephs.
In singles, the Ephs saw numbers 1, 2, and 3 head out first. At three singles, Roets played some of her best tennis of the season, finding a balance between aggression and patience. Her opponent had no answers, and Roets took the win 6-1, 6-0. At number 2,
Mia Thomann found herself in a similar position. After taking a 5-1 lead, Thomann endured a jump in her opponent's form to close the set out 6-3. While the beginning of the second set was close, Thomann won a pair of key games to take a 5-2 lead and eventually the match 6-2. At number one, Ishikawa battled against a powerful opponent. While the Trinity player grabbed a highly contested first set, Ishikawa stayed calm and fought back. Pinpoint serving, heavy forehands, and excellent volleys saw her take a 5-2 lead in the second, holding her nerve to take the set 6-4. Once she found her rhythm, Ishikawa never looked back. She would outplay her opponent in the third to take the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, clinching the match for the Ephs.
At the same time, first year EllieStark had taken to the court for singles at the #6 spot. She found her rhythm as the match progressed, using steady hitting from the baseline and excellent serves to claim a 6-0 first set. At match point up 5-1 in the second, she played a marathon of a point, with both players covering each corner of the court. Stark would clip the net for a let winner on a running forehand, closing the match out in dramatic fashion. At number 4, Lin outmaneuvered her opponent with huge backhands and stunning drop shots. However, the match was stopped with
Ahn Lin up 4-0 in the first set . At number 5,
Jane Ladaga started her match tight. She held and broke serve to take the first set 6-3 and never looked back. Mixing slice, volleys, and emphatic overheads, she moved her opponent around the court expertly. Ladaga reeled off the next six games to close out the match for the Ephs.
After the match, Eph head Coach
Anik Cepeda commented "Great win against a conference team today. Shout out to Yuu for bouncing back for the third set, and great mindset from the whole squad." The Ephs will look to carry the momentum from this win into their final match of the regular season against #4 Wesleyan tomorrow at 10 am.
