Individuals Shine at Fall Classic

Harvard women’s tennis continued to establish itself as one of the teams to beat in the Ivy League with victories in doubles and singles play at this weekend’s Harvard Fall Classic at the Robert M. Beren Tennis Center. The Crimson showcased its young talent with another outstanding individual performance from freshman Hideko Tachibana, who won both the Flight A doubles and singles championship.

Players from Harvard, Boston College, Boston University, as well as the University of Texas at San Antonio took to the courts on Friday with first rounds of doubles and singles and continued through to the semifinals on a cool and blustery Saturday that served as an early taste of fall weather.

On Sunday morning, finals for the doubles and singles brackets rounded out tournament play.

Crimson individuals set themselves up for success with solid first round performances in Flight A singles on Friday afternoon.

Fourth-seeded freshman Kristin Norton defeated Boston University opponent Monika Mical in three sets, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Junior Agnes Sibilski overpowered her UTSA competitor Vivian Carrillo in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4, and second-seeded Tachibana followed suit, eliminating her Terrier opponent, Petra Santini, 6-1, 6-0.

In the quarterfinals, Norton had an easier time, as she downed her UTSA opponent Caroline Dedering, 6-2, 6-1. While Tachibana continued her perfect season and advanced to the semifinals, Sibilski ran into Alex Kelleher of BC, who emerged with a 7-5, 6-3 victory.

Tachibana avenged Sibilski’s loss with a 6-2, 6-2 ousting of Kelleher in the semifinals. But Norton’s run came to an end when she fell 6-2, 6-3 to first-seeded Stefanie Nunic of BU.

Norton rebounded in the 3rd place match, earning a 6-4, 6-1 win.

With her undefeated season on the line in the singles championship, Tachibana closed out the weekend’s play with a decisive win over Nunic. Tachibana had some trouble in the first set but shut out her opponent in the second, winning 6-4, 6-0. It was a competitive match but one the Crimson freshman controlled.

“I knew [Nunic] was supposed to be a very good player,” Tachibana said. “The team motivated me and the crowd cheered me on, and that helped a lot.”

Harvard’s doubles teams had similarly strong performances. The freshman-sophomore combination of Alex Lehman and Samantha Gridley defeated UTSA’s Caroline Dedering and Vivian Carillo, 8-5, in the opening round. In the second round, the tandem made an 8-3 statement win against the first-seeded team of Nunic and Francine Whu from BU.

Meanwhile, junior Samantha Rosekrans and Tachibana won a tough first-round battle versus Boston University’s Monika Mical and Liz Corroa, 9-8. In the next match, the two took down the fourth-seed, 8-5, and in an all-Harvard semifinal, Rosekrans and Tachibana defeated Lehman and Gridley, 8-2. Rosekrans and Tachibana then breezed through the championship against Boston College’s Katharine Attwell and Brittany Delaney, winning 8-3.

“They were the same people who beat out Agnes [Sibilski] and [sophomore] Holly Cao yesterday so we were able to take revenge,” Rosekrans said.

Cao and Sibilski fell 8-2 in the second round, despite being the two seed.

In Flight B singles, Lehman had an impressive weekend, coming away with the tournament championship. Lehman dominated, dropping just seven games in three matches.

The Boston College Eagles and Boston University Terriers are regular season opponents for the Crimson and are normally tough matches. The win over these rival schools should bring confidence to Harvard’s team as the season moves along.

“It’s pretty clear that we are the better team,” Rosekrans said. “So it’s pretty reassuring early on. We are probably the most feared Ivy Leauge team. We have a target on our backs, but that just gives us more reason to practice.”

The Harvard women face their next competition at the Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs, CO from Oct. 2nd-4th.