Women's tennis team double faults against JCU

The women's tennis team got bounced off the court twice this week losing to Allegheny College 2-7 on Saturday and John Carroll University 3-6 on Tuesday.

Allegheny was a long three-hour ride for the team. "At Allegheny we were all a little off our game, senior Kate Petersen said, "We will most likely play Allegheny on Friday again, it should be a much closer match."

"In the Allegheny match, we played pretty well. Jill Brockelman had her best match of the season, she was the player of the match," said coach Don Hunsinger. Brockelman won her game opened 6-3, 6-1.

"It was sunny so I liked that, I was glad it only lasted two sets because my wrist was really hurting," said sophomore Jill Brockelman. "It was a pretty even game, more even than the scores look. The points were long."

Junior Leigh Ann Totty played well Saturday, winning her singles match 6-4, 6-2, but Totty and junior Tara Sievers lost their doubles match 8-6. "It was good to come back in doubles even if we lost. We will beat them in the conference matches if we have to play them. In singles I thought I played very well and dominated the match," said Totty.

Sievers, who lost her singles match 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, said, "In singles I had some really good things going, I won the first set and then the second set was pivotal, but I lost. If I play her again I definitely know how to beat her."

Petersen lost her Allegheny match 6-0, 6-1.

"My opponent's style of play was the epitome of what I have trouble playing against, therefore I did very poorly. Next time I'll try a different strategy altogether," Petersen said.

"For the John Carroll match we really played shorthanded," Hunsinger said. "Sievers didn't play at all and Brockelman didn't play singles. I have no doubt that with those two playing in the lineup we would have won the match. We almost had won all of the three doubles matches which was very exciting."

The player of the match for the John Carroll match was first-year Robin Richardson who won her match 7-5 with a tie-breaker of 8-6, 6-1. "I thought I played well, especially the first set. My opponent was getting really sick as well, she had a cough, she gave up the second set," said Richardson.

Petersen said two of the team's top three players didn't play singles because of academics and injuries. "The match is not really indicative of our abilities." Petersen and Brockelman won their doubles match 8-4.

Totty who won her singles match 7-5, 6-2, but said that she was unfocused. "She was too worried about the team and didn't focus enough on herself," said Hunsinger.

This weekend the team plays in the Conference Tournament at Case Western Reserve University.

"We don't know if we're seated fifth or sixth yet," said Hunsinger. "It's going to be a tough conference. If we're seated fifth we play number four, and if we're sixth we play number three. Both have already beaten us."

However, the coach is still optimistic. "Last year we beat two teams that beat us so it's not impossible. But we really have to step up our play," he said.

Blast away: Senior Kate Petersen gets ready to whack a baseline shot back to her opponent. (photo by John Matney)