MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Trailing 4-2 deep into singles play, the No. 5 nationally ranked Wesleyan women's tennis team bore down and pulled out three straight singles victories (two of which required a third set) to land a thrilling 5-4 come-from-behind win over No. 10 Tufts in a near seven-hour contest on Saturday from inside Bacon Field House. This incredible triumph secures a record start to a season for Wesleyan (11-0, 6-0 NESCAC) who is 11-0 for the first time in program history.
 
For the first time this season, Wesleyan trailed after doubles play as Tufts earned wins at #2 and #3 before the Cardinals pulled out a crucial win at #1 to salvage one point heading into singles play. Caitlyn Ferrante '23 and Sasha Gaeth '23 teamed up for the win at #1, defeating Tufts' top duo of Elle Christensen and Tilly Rigby, 8-6. That point loomed large after Tufts' Caroline Garrido and Maggie Dorr started doubles play with an 8-3 win at #2 over Sophie Henderson '22 and Nika Vesely '25 while Madeline Suk and Zoe Kava impressed at #3 with an 8-5 win over Venia Yeung '22 and Katie Fleischman '23.
  In need of four singles wins to take the match, Wesleyan started off strong with reigning ITA Division III Player of the Week Kristina Yu '22 taking down Dorr at #6 in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to tie the team match score at 2 apiece.
 
Tufts, however answered right back with consecutive wins coming at #1 and #4. Rigby overcame a first set loss to take down Ferrante 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 at #1 while Casey Cummings put Wesleyan on the brink of their first loss of the season as she defeated Yeung 6-4, 6-3 at #4.
 
In a match that lasted nearly four hours, Vesely pulled out a wild one at #2 as the first-year overcame a 7-5 first set defeat, bouncing back with a 6-3 second set win before pulling out a 7-5 third set victory to gave the Cardinals life as the match went into it's sixth hour of competition.
  Serim Jin '23 tied the score at 4-4, making quick work of Suk at #5 with a 6-2, 6-2 win, putting the Cardinals just one win away from a dramatic comeback win. It then all came down to Fleischman at #3 who won the opening set 6-2 over Nicki Frankel only to see the Jumbos' #3 answer back with a 6-3 second set win. In the deciding third set, Fleischman managed an early break which proved just enough as a 6-4 third set victory sealed the win for Wesleyan.
  Off to their best start in program history, Wesleyan's 11-0 record thus far in the 2021-22 dual match season surpassed a 10-0 start to the pandemic-shortened 2021 spring season where the Cardinals' first loss of that campaign came in the national title match to Emory.
 
Wesleyan has a quick turnaround from their emotional, extensive victory over the Jumbos as the Cardinals will play host to Bates at 11 AM tomorrow from the John Wood Memorial Tennis Courts.