Women's Tennis Highlights
Head Coach: Vanessa Chu
Assistant Coach: Dan Bretl
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Match: October 25, 2007
SLC vs. Yeshiva
Since the beginning of time, many have believed in the mystery and power of the full moon. On Thursday evening, the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team may well be new adherents to the influence of the Earth's satellite as the Gryphons completed their season with a decisive thrashing of Yeshiva, scoring a 7-2 triumph with the full moon emerging above. This was the seventh consecutive victory for Sarah Lawrence as they finished the season with a 9-3 record - and a 5-1 mark in HVWAC play.
It was a long and cool evening of tennis—the matches didn't end until well after 10 PM. But it was a most satisfying way to conclude the season. As usual, there were numerous standout performances for the Gryphons. Tatiana Trofimchuk won her team-leading tenth singles match of the season, easily defeating her opponent in the #3 slot. Carlie Bentley, Sarah Levine and Emily Zemba also won with relative ease in singles. Junior Alex Pauline was the other victor in singles as she won in an epic encounter in the #5 position. As neither she nor her Yeshiva opponent could take control of the match, it was left to a tiebreaker to decide the outcome. The overtime period remained close until Alex was able to string together consecutive points to take the thrilling encounter, 11-9 in the tiebreaker.
Coach Vanessa Chu and Assistant Dan Bretl are most pleased that every member of the roster was victorious at some point during the season. Having a large and talented squad of enthusiastic players is a bonus—yet juggling such a sizable roster can prove to be tricky. It's obvious that Coach Chu was adept at finding just the right mix of players each week to achieve such consistent and strong results.
Sarah Lawrence finds themselves well positioned for the HVWAC tournament, scheduled to take place on Saturday at the National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens (rain date of Sunday). The Gryphons should be seeded in the #1 or #2 positions for many of the flights. Cooper Union is the heavy favorite to win the conference tournament but there's no question that Sarah Lawrence will be prepared to mount a significant challenge.
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Match: October 18, 2007
SLC vs. St. Joseph's College
As this bizarre autumn served up yet another unseasonably warm and humid night, Sarah Lawrence contested their final Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference match of the season when they hosted St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn on Thursday. The recently resurfaced Gryphon courts have proven to be Kryptonite to all foes as Sarah Lawrence had yet to be defeated at home this season. And it has remained so. After a thrilling encounter that went down to the final match, Sarah Lawrence defeated St. Joseph's by a 5-4 score, providing a dramatic finish to the conference campaign.
The state of tennis affairs for the Gryphons didn't look all that promising at the start when two members of Coach Vanessa Chu's squad fell ill. Leila Greiche, the sophomore from Montreal, was feeling so sick that she had to withdraw from her #5 singles match before a ball was struck. And first-year Sarah Levine, playing in the #3 slot, wasn't feeling well throughout her match and lost 10-7 - though she fought gamely and showed tremendous perseverance in seeing the match to its completion.
With Carlie Bentley (#1), Tatiana Trofimchuck (#2) and Alex Pauline all winning in singles (it was Tatiana's ninth victory of the season), Sarah Lawrence and St. Joseph's were tied heading into the doubles matches - with each team needing to win two out of three to claim the match. The #3 doubles team (Emily Zemba and Catie Miller) started their match first and lost a hard fought encounter by the score of 8-5.
So the drama then set in as Sarah Lawrence knew it had to win both the #1 and #2 doubles to claim the match and keep their five match winning streak in tact. The tension was palpable with players from both teams looking down on the two lower courts where the doubles matches were taking place side by side. Carlie Bentley and Danielle Saporta were locked in a close match in the #1 doubles and found themselves down 6-5. From that point on however they played smart and aggressive tennis and took the last three games to claim an 8-6 victory.
With only one match remaining, the #2 doubles team of Tatiana Trofimchuk and sophomore Sofia Voltin took an early and seemingly commanding lead of 7-4, only one game from victory. However, St. Joseph's won three games in a row to force the deciding tiebreaker - one had a sense that the tense and exciting tussle between these two conference opponents had to come down to a tiebreak. The Gryphon team quickly jumped out front and didn't let up, dominating the tiebreaker 7-1, thus securing an outstanding 5-1 conference record.
Sarah Lawrence now has a well deserved week off before their last regular season match against Yeshiva, next Thursday at home. This should prove to be good preparation for the HVWAC tournament on October 27th. All teams in the conference hope the calm climate conditions persist for the tournament at the United States Tennis Center. Those who participated in last year's event remember well the cold and windy conditions which nearly rendered play impossible.
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Match: October 14, 2007
SLC vs. Pratt
Head Coach Vanessa Chu and her assistant Dan Bretl both played for Sarah Lawrence as undergraduates and it is clear from the rapid improvement of the team and the level of commitment shown by the squad that their experience has proved beneficial to their players' development. Perhaps nowhere has this experience been so useful as in their preparation for yesterday's HVWAC match against longtime foe Pratt Institute. Having to compete on the super-fast indoor surface at the Brooklyn campus requires a more specific and focused mindset and it was evident that the Gryphons were well prepared as they won for the fifth straight time, defeating an under-staffed Pratt team, 7-2. (Pratt had to forfeit two matches as they were short of players)
Rachel Franks, who missed the previous match, returned to compete in her accustomed #1 singles position and won easily 10-4. The talented sophomore from Salt Lake City showed off her complete game - playing aggressively from both the baseline and at net - in her win. Rachel then teamed with her usual partner Ragan Kensington and scored a victory in the #1 doubles as well. First year star Tatiana Tromfichuk continued her winning ways, taking her eighth singles match of the year, 10-6. Sophomore Danielle Saporta returned to the win column as she also won easily 10-2. Tatiana and Danielle then joined forces for #2 doubles which turned out to be the most exciting match of the afternoon. Staked to an early 4-1 deficit, the Gryphon team rallied and went on to win 8-6. The fact that it was an away match against a conference opponent and the level of play was so strong made this victory among the most satisfying of the 2007 campaign.
The Gryphons will have one day off before heading off to New York City's most populous borough yet again, this time taking on Brooklyn College in a non-conference match on Tuesday afternoon.
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Match: October 12, 2007
SLC vs. College of New Rochelle
Sarah Lawrence played host for the fourth consecutive match and the result of the previous three was replicated as the Gryphons remained undefeated at home with a resounding 8-1 victory over the College of New Rochelle in a conference encounter. Not even the windy and cold conditions - which finally made an appearance after weeks of unseasonably warm and dry weather - could disturb Sarah Lawrence's growing momentum.
As has been the case during the course of the four match winning streak, there were many standout performances. Leila Greiche, sophomore from Montreal, who has shown steady improvement all season, dominated her opponent en route to a 10-0 win in the #6 singles position. First year Tatiana Tromfichuk seems unstoppable of late as she won for the seventh time this season, with a 10-7 triumph in the #2 singles. Tatiana then teamed with Sofia Voltin in doubles, and the #2 team didn't yield a game, taking the match 8-0. Two other Gryphons scored a "double victory - taking both singles and doubles matches: Ragan Kensington won her #1 singles match 10-5 and then teamed with Alex Pauline to win a thrilling doubles match that went to a tiebreaker, 8-7(7-4) and Emily Zemba, after triumphing in singles by the score of 10-2 teamed with another fast-improving Gryphon, senior Catie Miller , to easily take the #3 doubles, 8-2. Rounding out the impressive scorecard is the other first-year on the Sarah Lawrence squad, Sarah Levine. Sarah won comfortably in the #3 singles spot, vanquishing her foe with ease, 10-2.
Sarah Lawrence has one day of rest before heading to Brooklyn on Sunday to take on Pratt in a critical HVWAC tussle. The Gryphons will have to be prepared to play on the fast, slick and downright bizarre indoor surface in the Pratt gymnasium.
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Match: October 9, 2007
SLC vs. Mt. St. Vincent
Thunder and lightning halted play Tuesday evening as Sarah Lawrence and conference foe Mt. St. Vincent were about to start the doubles competition - but the booming noise from the sky also heralded another Gryphon victory as Sarah Lawrence had built up an insurmountable lead after singles play (5-1) to capture the match and improve their HVWAC record to 2-1 (5-3 overall).
As has been the case of late, superb performances were in abundance. Sarah Levine and Danielle Saporta, playing in the #5 and #6 slots respectively, each triumphed for the fourth consecutive time in singles play; Tatiana Tromfichuk, in her accustomed #4 singles flight won for a team-leading sixth time - quite an accomplishment; Ragan Kensington and Carlie Bentley also continued their impressive level of play, cruising to easy victories. The only defeat was suffered by Rachel Franks. Playing in the #1 slot is an honor but conversely it is also the most difficult position and Rachel has faced formidable competition all season.
To illustrate how much of a roll the team has been on, over their last three contests the Gryphons have yielded a total of only 3 matches.
Sarah Lawrence will have two deserved days off before hosting the College of New Rochelle on Friday afternoon, the last of four consecutive home matches. It will also be the first match all season to be contested in true autumnal conditions with the temperature forecast to be in the 50's. With two-thirds of the season complete, the Gryphons look to sustain their strong momentum with their sights set on the HVWAC tournament at the end of the month.
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Match: October 7, 2007
SLC vs. Polytechnic
Playing without their top two singles players, Sarah Lawrence nonetheless concluded their third match in four days with a non-conference victory over Polytechnic University. The Gryphons level of play was as hot as the unseasonably balmy air in defeating the Brooklyn school by a score of 8-1. This marked the first time this season that Sarah Lawrence won consecutive matches and it was also their third triumph in four tries.
Coach Vanessa Chu, along with assistant coach Dan Bretl (who were both stellar players when they wore the green and white of Sarah Lawrence as undergraduates) have handled the task of managing such a large roster with great skill and it was glowingly evident in their victory over Polytechnic - as nine players were used and seven claimed a victory.
Perhaps the most gratifying results from yesterday's match were the first-time wins for Alex Pauline, Emily Zemba and Catie Miller. Alex cruised to a 10-4 win and Emily also had a relatively easy time of it in her 10-6 victory. Emily then teamed with senior Catie Miller to take the #3 doubles, by an 8-2 margin. Though she is one of the elder members of the squad, Catie had never played much tennis - and none competitively - until this season. Her dramatic improvement is further proof of the superb coaching and commitment from the entire team.
Rachel Franks and Ragan Kensington weren't able to make the match so most of the players were bumped up a spot. Carlie Bentley notched another triumph as she won in the #1 singles spot with a 10-3 victory. Tatiana Tromfichuk won for the fifth time this season, this time playing in the #2 position, dominating her opponent 10-2. And Sarah Levine and Danielle Saporta continued their strong play as each won in singles for the third consecutive time.
The Gryphons busy schedule continues as they will only have one day off before hosting Mt. St. Vincent in a crucial conference encounter on Tuesday evening.
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Match: October 6, 2007
SLC vs. St. Elizabeth
As the reign of rain-free days continues in this normally stormy part of the calendar, the Sarah Lawrence Gryphons played their second consecutive conference match on their sun-splashed home courts on Saturday, taking on the College of St. Elizabeth. The result was just what Sarah Lawrence desired; a decisive 8-1 victory against the New Jersey school, improving their HVWAC record to 1-1.
There were a multitude of fine performances to highlight. Tatiana Tromfichuk, playing in her accustomed #4 singles position, won her team-leading fourth singles match of the season. Sarah Levine and Danielle Saporta, the only Gryphons to have triumphed in the Cooper Union tussle, each won for the second consecutive time. Ragan Kensington, the sophomore from Connecticut, easily won her #2 singles encounter. And Carlie Bentley won her #3 singles match, dropping only one game and then went on to claim a doubles triumph with Tromfichuk.
To show how truly dominating their victory was, Sarah Lawrence lost only 16 total games in the 8 matches they won (this includes a St. Elizabeth forfeit in the #3 doubles match). And the only Gryphon loss was very close, a tough 10-9 (8-6 in the tiebreaker) defeat in #1 singles. Rachel Franks, the standout sophomore from Utah nearly came up with the win. Rachel achieved some measure of revenge however when she teamed with Ragan Kensington to take the #1 doubles match, blanking their opponents 8-0.
With weekends being no time to rest for the Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team, the Gryphons will look to continue their winning ways tomorrow afternoon when they host Polytechnic University. This will be the second of four consecutive home matches for the Gryphons.
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Match: October 4, 2007
SLC vs. Cooper Union
The Sarah Lawrence women's tennis team finally commenced HVWAC conference play - as well as starting a grueling stretch of three matches in four days - with a tough loss against an experienced and strong Cooper Union squad, falling by the score of 7-2, at the National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens.
The site of the US Open did inspire some fine performances from the Gryphons, despite the loss. Especially notable was Sarah Levine's victory in #4 singles. The first year player from Massachusetts was in a precarious position early on, facing a 4-1 deficit. Though playing from behind, Sarah did not retreat and continued to play aggressively, eventually winning six games in a row en route to her 10-6 triumph. A comeback victory against a tough opponent in an away match is sure to boost her level of confidence.
Danielle Saporta, playing in the #5 singles slot was the other Gryphon victor. Danielle coasted to a thoroughly dominating performance, dispatching her Cooper foe by the score of 10-1. Danielle's win was also important because it left the Gryphons a chance to take the match in the doubles competition - and even though they weren't able to accomplish that, the tenacity displayed by Sarah Lawrence bodes well for the remainder of the season.
Sarah Lawrence will look to even up their conference record when they host the College of St. Elizabeth Saturday afternoon.
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Match: October 1, 2007
SLC vs. Bard
Bard College made their way down the Hudson River to play Sarah Lawrence in a non-conference encounter on a cool Monday evening at the Gryphons home court. The match was the third in four days for Sarah Lawrence and it didn't conclude until 10:30 - however, the long evening yielded a much desired result as Sarah Lawrence won their second match of the year, defeating the Raptors from Annandale by the score of 6-3. After two tough road losses to strong opponents, the victory was well savored and Coach Vanessa Chu can count no less than 7 players from her deep roster who won (4 singles and 2 doubles triumphs).
Perhaps most impressive was that several Gryphons won for the first time this year. Playing in the #6 singles slot, sophomore Leila Greiche played solid, consistent tennis throughout and won her match relatively easily, 10-3. Sophomore Sofia Voltin, teamed with fellow second year player Carlie Bentley, won their #2 doubles match by the score of 8-5. Carlie also claimed her first singles match of the year winning easily in the #3 slot, 10-4. And the top two seeded players on the Sarah Lawrence roster, Ragan Kensington and Rachel Franks made their way into the winning column for the first time in 2007 by taking a closely contested #1 doubles match, 8-6.
Continuing her winning ways was first-year sensation Tatiana Tromfichuk. Playing in the #4 position, Tatiana improved her singles record to 3-0, winning her match 10-6. Most notable about her victory was the length of the rallies, some of which lasted up to 40 strokes. Displaying patience and waiting for the opportunity to put the point away is a tremendous asset in the sport and Coach Chu's squad has put this virtue on full display. Also coming away with another singles victory in the young season was Danielle Saporta. Danielle easily dismantled her opponent, 10-2.
With so many players figuring in the victory over Bard and the manner in which the team won - taking both tightly contested matches as well as easy victories, playing both offensive and defensive tennis - exhibited the full depth and talent of the team. The Gryphons seek to continue this level of play when they finally begin conference play at Cooper Union on Thursday night.
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Match: September 30, 2007
SLC vs. St. Mary's
Looking to have their level of play measure up to the resplendent autumnal weather that has graced the New York area of late, Sarah Lawrence traveled to Newburgh to take on Mt. St. Mary's - their second consecutive match against another powerful out-of-conference opponent. Unfortunately the Gryphons came up short and were defeated 8-0.
Though they were blanked on the scoreboard, the Gryphons should nonetheless take some measure of pride with their overall performance - competing against two talented teams on the road and so early in the season is not an easy task, especially for a young team. Coach Vanessa Chu has been able to fully maximize her squad as ten players were adorned in the green and white of Sarah Lawrence over the weekend. And considering several players had never played competitive tennis previously, it is testament to the program that such a deep and varied team is in place.
Sarah Lawrence will return home to play another tough team - Bard College - tomorrow. This will be their final non-conference match before traveling to Cooper Union and commencing their HVWAC schedule. The Bard match also begins a stretch in which Sarah Lawrence plays five of the next six contests at home.
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Match: September 28, 2007
SLC vs. Purchase
In their second contest of the 2007 campaign, Sarah Lawrence lost to a strong Purchase team, 8 - 1. Though the score was lopsided against their fellow Westchester college, there were several close matches and the Gryphons played inspired tennis.
First year standout Tatiana Tromfichuk remains undefeated in the number three slot this young season as she triumphed in straight sets (since this was an away, out-of-conference match, home rules apply and Purchase chose the two-out-of three sets format for singles).
Three other matches went the distance, with two climaxing in excruciating tiebreak losses. Sarah Levine, looking to win her second consecutive singles match fell just short in the third set tiebreaker, losing 7-4. Even more wrenching was the outcome of sophomore Carlie Bentley's match. Carlie dropped the opening set but fought back to win set two in a tiebreak and then played steadily to push the deciding set into overtime where she fell just short, losing 10-8. These tightly contested matches are evidence of the gritty and determined play of Coach Vanessa Chu's squad.
Sarah Lawrence will travel to Mt. St. Mary's on Sunday where they will take on another strong out-of-conference foe.
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First Match: September 19, 2007
SLC vs. CCNY
Brilliant late-summer sun shone down on the home courts of Sarah Lawrence yesterday and the Gryphons basked in the results of their opening match of the season, defeating CCNY by the score of 5-4. The Sarah Lawrence tennis courts provide a stunning nocturnal setting when the weather cooperates as it did last night and the ensuing outcome turned out to be the perfect way to usher in Coach Vanessa Chu's third season at the helm.
Of particular note was the play of first years Tatiana Tromfichuk and Sarah Levine. Tromfichuk won her match with relative ease, 10-3, but Sarah had to recover several times against her CCNY opponent to force the tiebreaker in which she would eventually triumph. To come back and win such a tight encounter in her first collegiate match should prove to be a boost of confidence for Sarah and the entire squad.
Sophomore Danielle Saporta was the other Gryphon victor. (SLC also benefited from two defaults by CCNY). Danielle thoroughly overwhelmed her opponent and didn't yield a single game in her dominating performance.
Coach Chu (with assistant Dan Bretl) has an unusually deep roster of 12 players this year - testament to the continued enthusiasm surrounding the women's tennis program. The biggest challenge may well be finding the perfect doubles combinations with so many players in the mix.