As they were climbing into a large turtle-top van for a six-hour drive to start their spring break trip, the Oberlin College women’s tennis team was desperate for a win. After starting the season 2–1, the team had dropped four consecutive matches and was hopeful that a change of scenery would spur a successful run.
Led by fourth-year Anna Pastore, the Yeowomen opened their match play with a complete victory over Goucher College. Goucher could field only four players for the match, so Oberlin automatically began play leading 2–0 and in need of winning just one of two doubles matches to secure the doubles point. In the end, Oberlin didn’t need the early advantage, as they dropped only one match en route to a 6–1 win.
With newfound positive momentum, the team traveled down to Virginia Beach for the most anticipated match of the trip against Virginia Wesleyan University.
Although on paper the Yeowomen’s 6–1 victory appears easy, every match was competitive and required their highest level of play. Virginia Wesleyan’s squad brought the energy to the match and stayed loud throughout, creating a hostile environment that initially rattled the Yeowomen. In the face of adversity, the players responded by raising both their energy levels and their level of play.
“I feel like there hasn’t been a point, except [against] maybe a couple schools, where we’ve gotten to that point where we’ve played against these teams who are cheering all the time against us,” Scarlett Kingston, a first-year on the team, said. “There is not a breath of air where [it was] silent. And being able to fight against that and also feel like, ‘Oh, they’re doing it against us, we’re going to do it against them.’”
A few days later, the Yeowomen took on the no. 13 team in the nation, Washington and Lee University. Despite losing all seven matches, the Yeowomen were pleased with their level of play.
“Even though [Washington and Lee] were objectively probably better than us, I had fun,” Pastore said. “I was like, ‘Hell yeah, I get to swing.’ It’s easier to play up than to play down.”
While some teams may be discouraged by such a loss, the Yeowomen ended their spring break energized and excited to take on the best teams in the North Coast Athletic Conference after facing what was likely the strongest team they’ll see all year.
“I think it was a really good test and good practice going into conference because that was probably the best team we’re going to see,” Pastore said. “If we can play against them, we can at least put up a fight against anybody.”
The star of the team’s spring break trip was second-year Freya Rahm, who earned three wins across three matches. After cruising past Goucher’s Shelby Meek, 6–3, 6–0, the second-year, who plays third in the singles lineup, earned challenging singles and doubles wins against Virginia Wesleyan. Teaming up with fellow second-year Rachel Allen, Rahm earned her sole doubles win of the trip, 6–3, over Meena Lennon and Lena Hacker. Under two hours later, Rahm sealed her perfect day with a 6–4, 7–6 victory over Lennon, in which the Yeowoman battled not only her opponent, but also high temperatures and strong winds.
Rahm’s perfect week earned her NCAC Player of the Week accolades for the first time in her career, an acknowledgement the second-year said she was shocked to have earned.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all, so I was really excited,” Rahm said. “I got a text from my dad. It was the first text, with the screenshot, so yeah, I’m happy about it.”
The Yeowomen are hoping to ride the momentum of their successful spring break as they start conference play tomorrow with an 11 a.m. match against Ohio Wesleyan University.
