Spring Break
TENNIS: Squad makes small strides forward at UAAs
by Mike Prada
Editor in Chief
Sports | 4/24/07
Posted online at 10:21 PM EST on 4/23/07
/ Last updated at 12:35 PM EST on 4/23/07
The women's tennis team took a small step forward at the University Athletic Association championships this weekend in Cleveland, but nearly made even greater strides during a grueling final day.
The Judges dropped a 5-4 marathon in the fifth-place match against Washington University in St. Louis Saturday, ending the tournament in sixth place after a seventh-place finish last season. Earlier in the competition, the Judges suffered a 9-0 first-round loss to the University of Chicago Friday and scored a 9-0 second-round victory over the University of Rochester earlier Saturday. Brandeis is now 9-8 on the season.
"Everyone played their hearts out," coach Ben Lamanna said. "They were running on fumes out there, and there was just some tremendous stuff going on there that makes you proud to coach them."
Despite tying her match at a set apiece, Ana Katz '08 couldn't follow through on the Judges' comeback, falling 6-1 in the third set of the deciding match against Wash U.
With the Judges and Bears tied at four matches apiece, Katz needed to defeat rookie Allison Dender to give Brandeis the victory.
Katz lost the first set 6-2, but came back to win the second set 6-4. She ran out of gas in the third set, however, as Dender jumped ahead 3-0 and never relinquished the lead.
"[Dender] just did not miss a single ball," Katz said. "She picked it up another notch, and it's hard to take control of a point."
Each point was a struggle in a match that lasted well over three hours. The two players engaged in several long rallies, some of which lasted well over 30 shots, Katz said.
"I was able to wait [and] set up to go for the winner [in the second set], and in the first set, I was going for the winner too early," Katz said. "I didn't play as patiently as I should have [in the third set]."
Although Katz's loss prevented the team from finishing in fifth place, the team took a late comeback to even the score. The Judges lost two of three doubles matches and fell behind 4-2.
The Judges dropped a 5-4 marathon in the fifth-place match against Washington University in St. Louis Saturday, ending the tournament in sixth place after a seventh-place finish last season. Earlier in the competition, the Judges suffered a 9-0 first-round loss to the University of Chicago Friday and scored a 9-0 second-round victory over the University of Rochester earlier Saturday. Brandeis is now 9-8 on the season.
"Everyone played their hearts out," coach Ben Lamanna said. "They were running on fumes out there, and there was just some tremendous stuff going on there that makes you proud to coach them."
Despite tying her match at a set apiece, Ana Katz '08 couldn't follow through on the Judges' comeback, falling 6-1 in the third set of the deciding match against Wash U.
With the Judges and Bears tied at four matches apiece, Katz needed to defeat rookie Allison Dender to give Brandeis the victory.
Katz lost the first set 6-2, but came back to win the second set 6-4. She ran out of gas in the third set, however, as Dender jumped ahead 3-0 and never relinquished the lead.
"[Dender] just did not miss a single ball," Katz said. "She picked it up another notch, and it's hard to take control of a point."
Each point was a struggle in a match that lasted well over three hours. The two players engaged in several long rallies, some of which lasted well over 30 shots, Katz said.
"I was able to wait [and] set up to go for the winner [in the second set], and in the first set, I was going for the winner too early," Katz said. "I didn't play as patiently as I should have [in the third set]."
Although Katz's loss prevented the team from finishing in fifth place, the team took a late comeback to even the score. The Judges lost two of three doubles matches and fell behind 4-2.
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