by Alejandra Cruz
Staff Writer
In preparation for the SCIAC tennis finals next week, the La Verne women’s team clashed with the Redlands Bulldogs Wednesday, April 10, and with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ junior varsity tennis team Saturday, April 13.
Due to the lack of players in Saturday’s match against CMS, the junior varsity team, composed of mostly sophomores, swept ULV, 6-0.
CMS had the upper hand in the match, partially because two of La Verne’s six players, seniors Tara Hunnicutt and Wendy Rockenbaugh, were not present. The Athenas had to win one match in order to win the game.
“When you know the odds are against you, the pressure’s off and you’re more relaxed,” said senior Stephani Hannon, who viewed Saturday’s game as practice for the finals.
Hannon lost, 6-2, to Athena Stacey Fong.
“I got frustrated because I knew I could beat her,” said Hannon.
Despite the team’s overall record of 4-10, Hannon holds high expectations for herself in the finals.
The senior’s partner in the doubles match Saturday, freshman Tracy MacArthur, felt that she has improved since the season began.
MacArthur played tennis in high school and plans to make the tennis finals this weekend a learning experience.
“I don’t have a lot of expectations for the finals,” said MacArthur.
Considering that Hannon and MacArthur are not usually partners for the doubles match, MacArthur believes that they played well.
“Our serves were good and I played well at the net,” said MacArthur.
Hannon, who played No. 1 in Saturday’s match, and senior Tiffany Hall agree that the concentration is very important when going into a competition.
“Tennis is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical,” said Hall.
“In basketball there are others to pull you up, but in tennis there’s no one to talk to,” said Hall, who prefers the team setting in doubles. “I love doubles because I can talk to somebody,” she said.
In Wednesday’s match against Redlands, Hall lost 6-4, 6-3, which contributed to La Verne’s 9-0 loss to the Bulldogs.
In Hall’s singles match against Athena Amy Vastergaard, Hall lost both sets 6-4, 7-5. In doubles she paired with senior Catherine Padilla, but they lost, 8-6.
Padilla has played two years with the team and said it is improving with every match.
Head coach Wendy Zwissler is also optimistic about the team’s performance. She is recruiting for next year’s team, because only one player will return next year.
Among the players who will graduate is Hunnicutt, who currently plays No. 1 on the team.
Hunnicutt said that one problem is with players in positions above their ability.
“I should not be playing as No. 1,” said Hunnicutt. “If I knew I was playing No. 1, I wouldn’t have joined.”
The team closes its regular season in the SCIAC championships today and tomorrow at Caltech.
