The challenging drive to and from MIT in heavy traffic and blinding rain was not the only test of Smith Tennis on the ITA tournament weekend. Three members of the Smith Tennis Team braved the elements early Friday, Sept 28 to arrive at MIT in time for a decent warm-up. The already gloomy day turned darker as Bayla Weick strained her quad in warm-up and was forced to default in singles and doubles. Jana Chan, Bayla's partner, took the disappointment in stride offering support where she could. Haruka Shimoto was the lone representative for Smith in the prestigious ITA Northeast Regional Tournament. Haruka battled with the number one player from Babson on the lightning fast indoor courts at MIT. She gave her best but it was not good enough on Friday for a win. Returning the same day, Smith put the event behind them and moved onto the team match on Tuesday, Oct. 2. Faced with another day of rain, Smith tennis travelled to Springfield College for a conference dual match. Without starting players Jordan Dubin and Bayla Weick, the team stepped up to the challenged and played with heart and determination against the Pride on the very challenging indoor facility. Team member, Seema Samawi, commented:
"Smith Tennis fought hard for every ball in their match against Springfield. Every member of the team made a sacrifice and stepped up when asked despite the difficult indoor conditions. In spite of the loss the team has learned valuable lessons and will approach their next home match this Saturday against Wheaton with enthusiasm and determination."
Well said, Seema!
