Women's Tennis Release (2005-06) - Season Outlook - Guilford College

• 2006 WOMEN'S TENNIS OUTLOOK

      Guilford's women's tennis team looks to build upon last year's 7-9 campaign. Head coach Jenn (Wolos) Anderson '96 has four letter winners back from last year's squad, including senior Song an Nguyen, All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament pick at third singles in 2005.

      Guilford's fall 2005 season included a top finish at the fourth annual Guilford College Invitational and a trip to the non-scoring ITA South Regionals in Atlanta. The Quakers swept the field at the Guilford Invitational in all three singles flights and the doubles flights.  The team's newcomers gained valuable experience as Anderson expects the freshmen to compete for several top spots this spring.

Guilford returns a young, but experienced group of four players.  Nguyen (left) led the Quakers a year ago with an 18-5 record at third singles, and will likely stay in that position. "Nguyen is great at adapting to her opponent's weaknesses and exploiting them," Anderson said.  "She has been a rock for us the past two years, and her leadership has rubbed off on the other members of the team.  The other flights expect to win because of Nguyen's example."  Sophomore Krystal Parrish will likely move from second to fourth singles to make room for the incoming freshmen.  Parrish will also be paired with Nguyen at second doubles, an effective tandem.  Sophomore Joan Kietzman will compete for a final singles spot, while classmate Caitlin Mayton will challenge at third doubles.

Rookie Nika Botkin will challenge for a top singles spot and form half of the Quakers' first doubles team. "Nika has a strong tennis foundation, and is learning to add more mental toughness to her game," said Anderson.  Freshman Courtney Estes competed in third doubles in the fall and is expected to continue at that position.  Classmate Hilary Routon, a singles specialist, should contend for one of the bottom three flights.  Lia Williams enters Guilford in the spring semester and will join the Quakers' rotation as a singles and doubles player.

Guilford's goal is to return to the top half of the ODAC standings, a feat last accomplished in 1998.  Anderson believes this year's newcomers and the experience of the veterans will continue recent progress and lead the Quakers back to the top of the conference.

      Guilford hosts the 2006 ODAC Tennis Championships.  The event has a new format this year with the departure of Eastern Mennonite's women's team from competition.  The players will be ranked 1-11 within their flights based primarily upon their regular-season win-loss record.  The team score will be awarded on an 11-point system with the champion in each flight earning 11 team points, and the 11th place finisher earning one team point.  In previous years the ODAC Tournament seeding was drawn randomly after the top four seeds received byes. "I like the new format," Anderson said "It rewards a team's regular-season efforts come tournament time, and clarifies the team standings during the championships."

      The Quakers open the spring season at North Carolina Wesleyan before heading to Hilton Head Island, SC, to play Mary Baldwin and Olivet.  Guilford opens at Randolph-Macon March 11.