Over the weekend, the 16th-ranked DePauw women's tennis team competed in the Midwest Invitational held in Madison, Wis. The tournament was the team's second of the year and first since placing third in the ITA Div. III Indoor Championships in early March.
The Tigers have had a rigorous traveling schedule as of late, playing two matches in Hilton Head, S.C. from March 24-29 and another at third-ranked Emory University on March 31. The nationally-ranked Tigers split the matches two-two in their play at the Midwest Invitational.
On Friday, the Tigers started off the tournament strongly by compiling two wins on the day. Their first victory came by way of beating Kenyon College in combined singles and doubles play by a score of 8-1. Later that night, the Tigers defeated Carleton College by way of 6-3 in both singles and doubles play as well.
Saturday's matches had the Tigers up against familiar opponents who the team had already previously beaten this season. Both the matches were played to decision, meaning all play stops after one team wins five matches total.
The team first faced University of Chicago. The Tigers lost to Chicago on Feb. 17 - their first match of the season - by a score of 1-8 before returning the favor by beating the Maroons 5-4 in a nail-biting finish during the ITA Indoor Championships.
Although the Tigers had an even record against Chicago and a strong understanding of what the Maroons would bring, DePauw lost to Chicago 2-5.
"We had beaten Chicago before so we were ready to fight," sophomore Meg Crowley said. "We had lost to them pretty badly the first time, then we definitely wanted revenge. It also kind of helped that they were missing their number one player the second time we faced them. Last time we beat them their coach made them get back on the court and have a practice so I think they were just as much out for blood this time as we were."
The Tiger's second match on Saturday had them up against Washington-St. Louis University. The Tigers had also played the bears in the Indoor Championships, and beat them by a score of 7-2 to place third in the tournament. However, on the team's rematch this past Saturday the Tigers fell to Washington in a close match-up by a score of 4-5.
"The level of competition definitely increased from Friday to Saturday," senior Kelly Gebert said. "And it was a challenge both mentally and physically, especially since we've played both of those teams multiple times."
The team now has an extended break before their next match on April 21. That weekend, the Tigers will have a chance to clinch the season series against Washington as they face the Bears again.
Those mathces will also be the Tiger's final competition of the regular season before the North Coast Athletic Conference championship begins Friday, April 27 at Kenyon.
"(The NCAC championship) is what we've been working toward the entire season," Crowley said. "We've been holding off people with injuries and building up towards that tournament. Our goal is to get to nationals as a team, so this is an important tournament."