Spring Break Victories Re-energize Women’s Tennis

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Author: Ben DeLuca

The women’s tennis team is poised to play big conference games in the coming weeks and looks forward to a successful end to their season.

Although the team has a less-than-inspiring 2-10 record, including 0-2 in SCIAC play, the women are ready to take on the last few weeks with intensity.

“We did win our first two matches during our trip to Sherman, Texas. We have not had the best record on paper but we are definitely improving,” Emily Wilde (first-year) said, who plays  number five and number six singles in most matches.

The team’s recent trip to Texas took place over spring break, allowing the team to play out-of-conference teams.

“The Texas trip was a huge success.  The team played well and bonded during the trip. The women enjoyed the trip and had a good dose of quality time together,” coach Linda Park said.

The success on the Texas trip comes at a good time for the Tigers, who have struggled to exceed expectations this season. The team has gone through some bumpy rides this year, with some girls leaving the team during the preseason. However, the Tigers still have high hopes for the season.

“We’d like to finish in the top three in conference and in the top 30 nationally. This may not happen this year, but we are certainly confident that we can achieve these goals in the near future,” Park said. “I am confident my women can do this.”

The individual players have all used this season to focus on improving various aspects of their game.

“My main goals for this season were to focus on being a more strategic tennis player and improving my backhand and serve,” Wilde said.

Practices with coach Park and assistant coach Marty Bean drill the players in all aspects of the game, and players are noticing improvements in their match play.

“Each player is finding her groove and working on specific parts of her game that need fine tuning.  Players are getting more creative on the court and have better footwork.  We still need more mental and physical work, but are definitely heading in the right direction,” Park said.

Kris Subbiah (junior), the number one singles and doubles player, has set goals for herself this year that match the high expectations of her as the team’s top player.

“My goals were to increase my singles record, start out strong and stay competitive against the other number one players in the conference,” Subbiah said. Subbiah has been a standout at the number one spot this year, leading the lineup through tough matches. “Kris plays with composure and a quiet confidence,” Park said.

Another standout player on the team this year is Julie Housman (sophomore). Housman was out of the game for five weeks due to a knee sprain, but has since worked her way back into the lineup. “She had a 6-match winning streak which is remarkable, considering her time off the court,” Park said.

Team chemistry has been a focal point of development this season. “I met some of my closest friends at Oxy because I was part of the tennis team,” Wilde said.

Creating a good environment for the team, especially the new players, is essential to having a successful season.

“Each year the team dynamics change as seniors graduate and new players come in. I think this year we had a very strong group with a variety of bright personalities so it just took us longer to bond with one other, we’re at a great place now,” Subbiah said.

The schedule toughens up as the season enters its last few weeks, with more conference matches being played and a spot in the SCIAC playoffs on the line. “We’ll have to bring our best game when we play Whittier, Cal Tech, and LaVerne. I am confident that my women can do this,” Park said.

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