Box Score NORTHAMPTON, MA. – Leila Epstein '26 was named the 2023 Chris Davis Sportsmanship Award winner over the weekend as she and Wesleyan women's tennis teammates Lane Durkin '27 and Sarah Youngberg '26 reached the semifinal round at the New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament, hosted by Smith College and Mt. Holyoke, as the team closed out the fall season.

The Chris Davis Sportsmanship Award is awarded annually to a player who exemplifies the values that former Smith College head tennis coach Chris Davis lives every day, which are to compete with grace, passion, and commitment. Epstein is the first Cardinal to receive the honor.

The tournament format operates with teams of two to three players from each school competing each round in two singles matches and one doubles match. Schools winning the best two out of three matches move on.

RESULTS

Epstein claimed her first singles win of the weekend on Friday, the Cardinals were paired against MIT's fourth team, defeating Salina Deshpande in a 8-7 (6) tiebreaker. Youngberg, in the second singles slot for the team, finished Anastasia Samets in another tiebreaker, 8-7 (2). Youngberg and Durkin were the first-round doubles pairing, falling to Deshpande and Samets, 8-5, but the Cardinals trio moved to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 team score.

Jackie Solovehchik '27 and Macie Carlos '27 made up the Cardinals second competing team and picked up two wins over Tufts University's second team, 2-1. Soloveychik made quick work of Zoe Kava with a 8-3 singles victory. Carlos downed Rebecca Lim 8-5 in the second singles match.

In the quarterfinal round, Epstein, Durkin, and Youngberg toppled Amherst's fourth team with a 3-0 round sweep. In the No. 1 spot Epstein picked up a 8-3 win over Maddie Swire for her second singles win of the week. Switching the No. 2 position, Durkin defeated Mia Kintiroglou, 8-2, for her first win of the tournament. Youngberg and Durkin sealed the Cardinals' first doubles win, 8-6.

Matched up against Amherst's third team, Soloveychik defeated Sophie Diop, 8-7, (7-4), but the Mammoths picked up the No. 2 singles and doubles tally to move on, with a 2-1 round final.

A final matchup against Amherst in the semifinal round ended the Cardinals' tournament run as Epstein snagged her third and final match win with a 8-6 final over Delia Friendman but the Mammoths again claimed the No. 2 singles and doubles win.

The Cardinals return to action in 2024 to open the spring portion of the season against Amherst on March 10.