Any tennis player will agree that the doubles point is an incredibly important part of any match. Because it’s the first point, it plays a role in setting the stage for the rest of the match. The point that can put a team in the lead can just as easily set one behind, and all before the first singles match is played.

Although its importance is not always emphasized, the doubles point puts pressure on the singles players, especially the ones on the team that’s already a point behind. Many matches come down to a single point, and if a team wins many but not all of the singles points, that doubles point can make the score extremely close, and the match intense until the very end.

So naturally, when the Massachusetts tennis team lost No. 1 doubles player Jenny Munroe soon after going against Temple, the next few matches were quite a struggle.

This past weekend was no exception, as the Minutewomen fell to the University of Maryland Baltimore County 4-3 Saturday, and Cornell the next day, 5-2.

After Munroe’s withdrawal from school for personal reasons, the team has had a significant amount of trouble bouncing back, and filling her spot in the No 1. doubles position.

“Our doubles have been incredibly affected [by Munroe’s departure]. Even though we have combinations on paper that should play well, they just haven’t been playing well,” UMass coach Judy Dixon said.

According to Dixon, it was the loss of the doubles point that caused the Minutewomen to lose the UMBC match 4-3, a drastic change from last fall’s undefeated doubles season.

“It’s difficult because in the fall we won all the doubles points that we played, and now we’re sort of in the hole before we even get our hands into the match,” Dixon said.

The Minutewomen struggled with doubles in the Cornell match as well. Stephanie Price and Dorothy Iwanowicz fell at the No. 1 doubles position, 9-8, and Christine Liehr and Jana Bartoloni fell in No. 2 doubles with a score of 8-3. Cornell proceeded to sweep the doubles matches, defeating co-captains Susan Hyams and Sasha Edelstein 8-4 at the No. 3 spot.

The sole point-scorers for the team in singles were Edelstein in the No. 3 position, 6-2, 6-3, and Iwanowicz at No. 4, 6-4, 6-4. And even though Hyams and Bartoloni were defeated in the No. 5 and 6 positions, respectively, they tied their opponents after the first two sets and lost only in the third round. According to Dixon, it’s just as important to note that the 3 – set singles matches could easily have gone the other way.

“We lost two 3 – set matches, and if we had been able to get both of those matches to fall for us we would have beaten a very good team … and so instead of beating them 5-2 we lost 5-2. I’d say we had good results,” Dixon said.

Dixon also noted the performance of No. 4 singles player Iwanowicz, who currently has an overall Spring season record of 7-2 in singles.

“The whole entire weekend Dorothy [Iwanowicz] played spectacular singles and continues to be on fire,” Dixon said. She has high hopes for Iwanowicz, who was undefeated in No. 5 singles last year at the Atlantic 10 Championships.

Also looking to help get the Maroon and White back on track is returning Minutewomen Jafra Depontes, fresh off a semester abroad in Barcelona. Dixon is confident that Depontes’ return will help cement the Minutewomen’s position as at least one of the top two schools in the conference. Richmond currently holds the top spot, and Massachusetts and Xavier are vying for the second position. Depontes is seventh in all-time career doubles wins for UMass, and went 7-6 in singles, and 11-5 in doubles last spring.

Depontes’ return is also good news for the struggling doubles.

“With Jafra back on the team, it means that our doubles combos are once again strong. She’ll play No. 1 doubles with Price,” Dixon said. “I would say you’d have to give us the nod over Xavier to be No. 2 in the conference right now, because she’s going to make that much of a difference.”

Another advantage of Depontes’ return is the surprise factor.

“It’s going to be wonderful that she’s stepping in because no one in the conference expects for her to be in the roster, and all of a sudden in the last three weeks she’s going to be on the team. It’s going to be meaningful for us as we come to the end of the season,” Dixon said.

The Minutewomen travel to Florida for their next three matches against nationally-ranked Florida Atlantic, Barry, and Lynn University. Aside from playing against some of the best competition in the country, Dixon hopes the team will adjust to the sudden departure of Munroe and the arrival of Despontes.

“I would like to be ready to play outdoors as much as I can. Right now what I have is a solid team who is feeling the loss of one of the players, Jenny Munroe … the results are a team that is still solid, still competing well, but really has been struggling with their doubles, and with [Depontes] coming back in, that difficulty with the team is going to be fixed,” Dixon said.

Dixon remains extremely optimistic about the rest of the season.

“I expect big things from this team between now and the end of the year, particularly at the A-10 Championships, but only if everybody stays healthy. That’s the number one priority.”