Colby women’s tennis travelled to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass. to take on the 22nd-ranked Engineers. The Mules fell 8-1, winning the final singles match of the day in their first match of the spring. The Mules were 2-2 during the fall season.

The Engineers came out strong in the doubles portion of the match. MIT’s Vynnie Kong and Madeline Aby swept Colby’s Mckenzie Love ’13 and Victoria Abel ’14 at third doubles. MIT also took second doubles, 8-2, as Colby’s Sally Holmes ’13 and Tess Perese ’14 were unable to get much going. Holmes, usually extremely active at net, was neutralized by deep balls aimed at Perese.

The closest match of doubles came at the first position, as Kathryn Vergeyle ’12 and Sarah Wiener ’13 took on a tough team of the Engineers’ Lauren Quisenberry and Julia Hsu. The Mules kept it close up to 4-5, but MIT pulled off the one-break win. Vergeyle and Wiener played with purpose, often lobbing MIT and following into net. Quisenberry’s (MIT’s number one player) forehands often found their way through the cracks, and the home team prevailed, 8-5.

The Engineers dominated singles play for the most part. The Mules managed just five total games at first, second, fourth and fifth singles. Wiener, playing her first match at first singles, withstood many a barrage from Quisenberry, but fell 6-1, 6-0.

Perese, Colby’s biggest hitter, was neutralized as her opponent consistently found the backhand side, sweeping the match 6-0, 6-0.

Holmes put up a tough fight in the first set at third singles, but, as is often the case, the first-set victor ran away with the match as Hsu prevailed, 7-5, 6-2.

Colby was able to get on the board at sixth singles, however, as Love easily defeated MIT’s Caitlin Pomeroy, 6-2, 6-0.

“Doubles was a disappointment,” Love said, “but we came out with positive energy for the singles.” Indeed, the Mules competed hard against highly-recruited players.

Colby women’s tennis will travel to Orlando, Fla. for Spring Break, opening on March 19 versus Elmhurst College. The Mules will then play consecutive doubleheaders on March 20 versus Merrimack College and Birmingham-Southern College and March 21 versus the State University of New York at New Paltz and Oglethorpe University. Colby will conclude the trip with a March 22 match against Pacific University.