MIDDLETOWN, CT— The #19 Ephs (8-9 overall, 4-6 NESCAC) lost a battle to the #7 Bowdoin College Polar Bears today in NESCAC quarterfinals. Played at Wesleyan University, the Ephs took the doubles point in convincing fashion but were unable to find their ground in singles, falling 4-1.
Doubles energy was high to start the match. At #2, sophomore
Margaux Molyneux and freshman
Mia Roets started strong. Huge hitting and serves overpowered their opponents, but the Polar Bears responded to level the match at 2-2. After a number of extremely close games, they fell 6-3. At #3, junior
Mia Thomann and sophomore
Ahn Lin had a shaky start, falling behind 2-0. However, their solid hitting from the baseline and timely volleys helped them find their rhythm, storming back to take the next six games in a row for a 6-2 rout. At #3, the pairing of senior
Yuu Ishikawa and junior
Jane Ladaga (now ranked #8 in the country), continued their excellent form. Clutch volleys from Ladaga and excellent serving by Ishikawa left their opponents without many options, and the pair took a 6-2 win as well. The Ephs had now clinched the doubles point.
In NESCAC Tournament play, all dual matches are played to clinch—meaning the match is stopped once one team has collected four points. As singles play started, Bowdoin rebounded well while the Ephs struggled to settle into their matches. At #2, Thomann faced an extremely consistent opponent and was unable to find her rhythm, falling in straight sets. At #4, Lin kept each game close, but key deuce points went Bowdoin's way and she fell 6-2, 6-2. Molyneux at #3 fought for every point, with huge hitting from the baseline helping her to dictate. However, she fell just short in a tight second and lost 6-2, 6-4.
At #1, Ishikawa found herself in long, grueling, points. After trading games back and forth, she dropped a tight first set 6-4. Ishikawa wasn't done, however, and was fighting in the second to keep the Ephs in the match. At #5, Roets started well but struggled to adjust to her opponent's unconventional game. She dropped the first set 6-1 and went down 4-2 in the second. However, she found a new level, blasting forehands past her opponent and patiently dictating to put herself back in the match. Down 5-4, she reeled off three straight games to take the second 7-5. At #6, Ladaga was also fighting. A few key points sent the first set the way of Bowdoin, despite a number of incredible gets and stunning volleys. In the second, Ladaga took a 3-2 lead, but was unable to take advantage and fell, 6-3. This put the last point on the board for Bowdoin, with Ishikawa's second set stopped at 6-3 and Roets just entering a third.
After the match, Eph head coach
Anik Cepeda commented, "In doubles we had a fun time playing to our strengths and taking it to Bowdoin. In singles we gave away too many gifts—we have to find a way to slow things down when that's happening. On the flip side, Bowdoin didn't give us very many errors so kudos to them."
Reflecting on the season, Cepeda had this to say: "This team has overcome a lot this season, and I'm very proud of how they supported one another through the ups and downs. It's made this year so enjoyable. I hope they get another chance to battle together next week and end the season feeling really proud of their performance and their fight."
The Ephs hope to receive an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament next that begins next weekend.
