Women's Tennis makes history with Ivy League three-peat

With two impressive victories over Columbia and Cornell this past weekend, Princeton Women’s Tennis claimed the Ivy League Title and won a bid to the NCAA Championships. It is the first time in Princeton history that the Women’s Tennis team has won three consecutive Ivy League Championships.

With Columbia coming into the weekend atop the Ivy League ladder and Princeton tied second with Cornell on a 3-2 win-loss record, Princeton needed to win both matches to keep its Ivy League hopes alive. Princeton’s season hung in the balance after two tough losses to Harvard and Brown, causing the 50th-ranked Tigers to enter this must-win situation against the 34th-ranked Columbia lineup. When asked about those losses and how the team bounced back, Senior Amanda Muliawan responded, “Those losses stung. We knew early in the season that [the] teams were pretty evenly matched, but were obviously hoping for better results early on. We focused on playing one match at a time and taking ownership of what we could control in the future. In retrospect, those tough matches may have actually helped us to finish stronger.”

This resiliency made the difference during Friday’s match as the Tigers played some spectacular, determined tennis to oust the Columbia Lions. To open the all-important match against Columbia, Princeton took the doubles point with impressive performances from pairs Caroline Joyce and Nicole Kalhorn, and Emily Hahn and Catalina Vives. Columbia responded by claiming the first two singles points, despite brave efforts from Senior Amanda Muliawan and Joyce. Up against Columbia’s 36th-ranked Kania Vaidya, Muliawan put up a brave effort, falling short 6-2, 6-3. Sophomore Katrine Steffensen then equalized with a much-needed win, playing with resolve to triumph in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. Princeton and Columbia then split the next two points on offer, keeping the score tied at 3-3. Alanna Wolff put up a comprehensive performance, winning in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 while Kalhorn fought hard in a three set affair, falling short 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. The outcome of the match came down to Sivan Krems, who faced a tough opponent in a tense encounter. Krems played some thrilling tennis to prevail 7-5, 7-5 and secure Princeton the decisive fourth point. Final score: Princeton 4, Columbia 3.

With the Ivy League Title on the line, the Tigers hoped to translate their impressive form to Sunday’s match against Cornell. Competition in the Ivy League was fierce this year, with no team notching more than five wins in the conference. To add to this, Muliawan commented, “Competition this year was tighter than it has ever been. League champions have traditionally won with a 7-0 or 6-1 record like our 2014 and 2015 seasons. Heading into our last weekend, women's tennis was the only Ivy League varsity sport in which all eight schools held national rankings. This year was incredibly special because it was a close sprint through the finish line between several teams.”

The Tigers started off well against the Bears, claiming the opening doubles with some dynamic play from Joyce and Kalhorn and Hahn and Vives. The Tigers then claimed three of the next four singles points on offer, with wins from Krems, Joyce and Wolff. All three Tigers prevailed after a tough three sets, playing with both class and determination to defeat their Cornell challengers. Muliawan clinched the win and the Ivy League Title for the Tigers with a stunning three-set victory on Court 1 with a final score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Princeton triumphed over Cornell with a final score of 5-2.

Following the team’s historic win, Muliawan reflected back on the season, “Our team has improved and made changes in many tangible ways — trying out different doubles teams, working on shots off the ground, building up our strength and conditioning. Ultimately, I think the most important improvements were more than just tennis. We celebrated wins together and came together after losses. Our tough schedule forced the team to really support one another. We've had a more experienced team in the past as well, so more match play helped us naturally.”

The Tigers will compete in their third consecutive NCAA Championships on May 13th, hoping to push past the round of 16 and end the season on a high.