No. 28 Yale Sweeps No. 59 Brown to Cap Perfect Ivy Season

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Steph Kent and Blair Seideman. (photo by Sam Rubin '95, Yale Sports Publicity)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The No. 28 Yale women's tennis team swept No. 59 Brown 7-0 Saturday at the Yale Tennis Center to complete Ivy League play with a perfect 7-0 record.

With the victory, the Bulldogs (19-3, 7-0 Ivy) capped off a season that has already seen them earn the league's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.  This is the second consecutive year that Yale has won the Ivy League, and the team and will find out its first round opponent on Tuesday. 

Yale started off by sweeping the doubles matches, as the team won the doubles point for the 21^st time in its 22 matches.  At No. 1, the No. 84 ranked duo of senior Vicky Brook and freshman Amber Li earned an easy 8-2 victory over Misia Krasowski and Ariel Caldwell.  In the second spot, junior Elizabeth Epstein worked with Annie Sullivan to hammer home an 8-5 victory over Jessica Harrow and Laura Wiley.  Finally, sophomore Blair Seideman and her senior partner, captain Steph Kent, topped Carissa Aboubakare and Nikita Uberoi 8-2. 

Saturday was senior day at the Yale tennis center, and the team honored Kent and Brook in a touching ceremony that celebrated two excellent Yale careers. 

On the singles side of the match, Yale grabbed a 3-0 lead early.  First, at No. 6, Sullivan knocked off Uberoi in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.  Next to finish was Brook, playing her last regular season match for Yale at No. 4.  The senior beat Julie Flanzer 6-3, 6-2 in short order to put Yale up 3-0.  Seideman, playing No. 2, clinched an undefeated Ivy League season for Yale with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Harrow.  With the match already decided, Yale continued to pile on.  Freshman Hanna Yu won 6-0, 7-6 (3) against Wiley at No. 3, then Kent won a tight 6-7 (5), 6-2, 1-0 (7) match in the fifth spot against Sarah Kandath.  Epstein locked up the sweep with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Krasowski in the No. 1 spot. 

Yale has not had a perfect Ivy League season since 2008.  This season, Ivy opponents managed only seven total points, as opposed to the 35 won by Yale.  In addition to the team's success, a few players and pairs boasted unblemished marks as well.  In doubles, Yale won every single match at Nos. 2 and 3.  Epstein and Sullivan played together in the second spot, while Kent and Seideman were at No. 3.  In singles, both Seideman and Brook posted perfect 7-0 marks. 

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Yale has won nine matches in a row, including the team's last ten home matches. 

Report By Calvin Bohn '14, Yale Sports Publicity