Binghamton University’s women’s tennis team was determined to set the tone for this coming spring, sending two of its best, Anna Edelman and Lauren Bates, to the ITA East Regional at Old Dominion over the weekend. The duo did just that, sporting a 5-3 record at the regional tournament, including two solid wins over Ivy League opponents.

The event, which featured the top players from colleges throughout the Northeast lasted from Friday until Sunday. With so many talented players and schools involved, the event was a perfect way for the Bearcats to show their competition what they are all about.

Edelman is Binghamton’s marquee tennis player, and she showed why in her campaign at regionals. She ran through her first two rounds of action and won a doubles match with Bates as her partner. It took the efforts of third-seeded Kellie Schmitt of Marshall to knock her out of the tournament. Regionals were the climax to what was a fantastic fall season for Edelman.

Bates, who went in to the weekend a perfect 10-0 in singles, dropped her first two matches of the year in doubles with Edelman and in the main draw of the singles round, but still had a very good showing at the event. She successfully qualified for the main draw in singles by winning two matches, including a win over Yale’s Jessica Ritz. Her singles record now stands at 12-1 going into the spring, a very solid mark for the freshman.

Edelman went 10-2 this semester despite being in perhaps the most pressure-packed position on her team as she will be the team’s No. 1 player in the spring, a spot previously held by Zeynep Altinay, the America East Conference player of the year last year and in 2005. Edelman seems unfazed by the challenge.

‘I don’t think I’m replacing Z,’ she said. ‘I’m a new player here.’

The way she has competed this fall, she looks up to the challenge. Edelman and the Bearcats have concluded a superb fall season that saw them go 38-10 as a unit, and look ready for a successful spring. Led by their fearless new leaders, their campaign will begin on Jan. 26 at the Cornell Invitational.