Veteran Players Post Strong Play

The Harvard women’s tennis team began its fall season over the weekend, splitting the team between two individual tournaments at the William and Mary Women’s Tennis Invitational in Williamsburg, Va. and the Columbia Classic in New York City.

The Crimson sent four of its players—captain Laura Peterzan, senior Beier Ko, sophomore Samantha Rosekrans, and freshman Holly Cao—to compete in Virgina, while it sent six players to take on the competition in New York City.

At William and Mary, Ko had an especially strong performance, advancing all the way to the finals of the Flight A draw.

On her way through the bracket, the senior, who is currently ranked No. 84 in the nation, easily took down three ranked players.

“She fought hard each match and the work she did in practice paid off,” Harvard coach Traci Green said. “She was very consistent and very mentally tough. Unfortunately she couldn’t put it together in the last match.”

Ko defeated No. 109 Bianca Eichkorn from Miami 6-2, 6-4 in the first round and won 6-1, 6-2 against No. 46 Ela Kaluder of Arkansas in the next match. In the semifinals, she beat No. 94 Katarina Zoricic from William and Mary 6-2, 6-2. Ko, who was the top player on the Crimson last season, finally met her match in the finals, where she lost 6-1, 6-1 to No. 1 Aurelija Miseviciute of Arkansas.

Ko’s performance over the weekend should increase her national rank. Eventually, the senior hopes to advance into the top 20.

“I want to be an All-American this year,” Ko said. “That would be an ideal goal. I feel like I should be there, and hopefully I’ll get there.”

In her first collegiate tennis tournament, Cao also had an impressive showing. The first-year, who was the No. 1 player in Australia in 2006, took the singles title in the Flight D draw. Cao dropped just one game in her first two matches, and then earned a three-set victory in the semifinals. In the championship match, the freshman defeated Nanar Airapetian of Arkansas 6-4, 6-0.

“Holly is a great player,” Ko said. “She dominated her first two matches. It was a good start for her. We’re expecting something from her this year.”

Rosekrans won her first two matches in the Flight D singles draw, but then fell in the semifinals to Airapetian and suffered a 6-2, 6-0 defeat to Boston College’s Alina Sullivan in the third-place match.

Peterzan withdrew from the Flight B singles draw due to injury.

In doubles, Ko and Rosekrans paired up, but went just 1-2 over the weekend in the Flight A competition. Peterzan and Cao teamed up and went 0-2 in Flight B.

At the Columbia Classic, three freshmen—Camille Jania, Caroline Davis, and Samantha Gridley—competed in the Flight A singles draw.

Davis and Gridley both lost in their first match, but Jania flew through the tournament and captured the singles title.

“Camille is an energetic player,” Green said. “She was sick last week, but managed to turn things around and bring her ‘A’ game.”

In the Flight B singles draw, sophomore Margarita Krivitski, captain Rachel Gottlieb, and freshman Louise Laciny each fell in their first match.

This fall, the Crimson will try to get its freshman battle tested in preparation for later, tougher competition. The squad is young, as five of its 11 players are freshmen. The team also has a strong senior presence. Last year’s No. 1 player, Ko, returns, as does Peterzan, who held down the No. 2 spot last season.

“The whole goal in our fall semester is everyone’s individual game,” Green said. “We’re not too focused on the spring.”

Next weekend Harvard will travel to Philadelphia for the Cissie Leary Invitational.

—Staff writer Jake I. Fisher can be reached at jifisher@fas.harvard.edu.