The women's tennis team entered this past weekend's matches against Dartmouth and No. 18 Harvard hoping to ride the momentum of its inspiring 4-3 triumph over Columbia a week earlier. Unfortunately for the Bears, the magic faded fast: Bruno lost handily to the Big Green, 5-2, and then was utterly dominated by the Crimson in a 7-0 shutout, dropping the Bears to 1-5 in Ivy League play and 5-12 overall.
The weekend kicked off on Friday versus Dartmouth on the Varsity Tennis Courts. By the time the match had begun, the temperature had dropped below 50 degrees and the wind was swirling, creating conditions that affected both sides.
Dartmouth adjusted better to the weather and, as a result, seemed more comfortable than Brown on the Bears' own court. The Big Green opened up by grabbing the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. In the singles draw, it was more of the same. At first singles, Daisy Ames '07 lost a tough 6-4, 6-4 match, and at second singles Amanda Saiontz '07 left everything out on the court but was overcome in three sets, 6-1, 5-7, 4-3 (7).
Ashley Pariser '08 also lost at third singles in straight sets to give Dartmouth the victory. She is the only member of the starting lineup yet to capture a win in Ivy play.
One bright spot for the Bears was the play of Brett Finkelstein '09. She picked up two of Brown's three wins on the day - one at fourth singles and another at third doubles with Ames. Finkelstein plays a gritty style that has quietly moved her up the ladder from sixth to fourth singles. Head Coach Paul Wardlaw said Finkelstein's game has been steadily improving all season.
"Brett has settled in well and adjusted to college tennis," he said. "She has all the athletic tools to become a very good college player."
Finkelstein agreed with Wardlaw's appraisal.
"I have become more patient and comfortable, and less nervous. I am a smarter player now (than I was at the beginning of the year)," she said.
The Harvard match played out much like the Bears' loss to Dartmouth, and Finkelstein was, once again, one of the few Bears who managed to win her match. She and Ames picked up an 8-4 victory at third doubles. Unfortunately, the win did not factor in the match since Harvard captured the other two doubles matches.
The contest with the No. 18 Crimson was a bleak affair, with only Michelle Pautler '07 playing a competitive match. She lost in three sets.
Brown travels to Yale today to play its final match of the season. The Bears were 2-5 last year in Ivy play and can match last season's mark with a win.
