Four members of the Harvard women’s tennis team made their first national championship appearances this past weekend at the Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif. For rookies June Lee, Monica Lin, and Spencer Liang, the tournament was only the second of their college career.
Joined by sophomore Amanda Lin, the four competed in the pre-qualifying doubles draw of the tournament with Amanda Lin paired with Lee and Monica Lin playing with Liang. Both pairings won their opening matches of the tournament before falling in the second round. Not only was this weekend one of the first major tournaments for the three rookies, it was the first time playing together for both doubles pairs.
“It is always a crapshoot when you have a new team playing together in a big tournament like this one,” Crimson coach Traci Green said. “Our team is just so flexible, I’m very pleased with the way our young squad competed this past weekend.”
Monica Lin and Liang started the tournament with a signature victory for Harvard, winning, 8-6, over the fifth seed, juniors Giuliana Olmos and Zoe Scandalis of USC.
Not to be outdone, Amanda Lin and Lee earned a first-round win over the No. 1 doubles pair from Virginia, freshman Marie Faure and senior Caryssa Peretz, by a score of 8-5.
After their first round upset, Liang and Monica Lin did not advance any further in the tournament—falling, 8-6, to sophomore Ines Deheza and freshman Rutuja Bhosale from Texas A&M. Amanda Lin and Lee suffered a similar fate, losing to Clemson sophomores Jessy Rompies and Romy Koelzer by a final score of 8-4.
Overall, the prestigious tournament served as added experience for a young Harvard squad that boasts four sophomores and four freshmen out of a total roster of 11.
“They really made a statement out there at All-Americans,” Green said. “This weekend definitely gives our team a lot of confidence, especially the younger players, and we hope to build some momentum from the tournament.”
Staff writer M. Ty Aderhold can be reached at michael.aderhold@thecrimson.com
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