2005 Women's Tennis Season Outlook
1/28/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 28, 2005
College Park, Md. - A fairly young squad with lots of experience characterizes the 2005 Maryland women's tennis team. With no seniors on the team, the Terps have a mixture of juniors, sophomores, and freshmen that will contend for an ACC championship this year. Judging by the results from the fall that goal is very much in sight. Head coach Martin Novak who is entering his fourth season at Maryland is very excited about the prospects for the upcoming season. "I feel very good about this team. We have skill and enthusiasm in every position, " Novak said. "Our schedule is challenging and we will have an opportunity to shine in every match we play this year."
Before the Terps embark on ACC play, they will face a very challenging out of conference schedules taking on some of the elite tennis programs in the country. The team will face four teams ranked in top 40 of the ITA Preseason rankings (Texas A&M, Michigan, South Carolina, and William & Mary). Maryland will also face VCU and Rice which will also pose tough out of conference matchups. "It is important to face the toughest teams possible in order to eventually fell very comfortable competing on that level. Most teams we'll play competed in the NCAA tournament last year, I believe this team will do just that," said Novak The out of conference schedule will give the Terps a preview of what will be waiting for them in ACC match play as three opponents are ranked in the top 15 (Clemson, Duke, and North Carolina).
This year's team features a ton of depth and athleticism and that was on display in fall play as the Terps had much success in fall play. The Terps lose three players from the 2003-04 team. Juniors Ramona But (Timisoara, Romania), Jennifer Dent, (Safety Harbor, Fla.) will anchor the talented Maryland squad. But lead the Terps with 19 singles victories and also captured the Cissy Leary Invitational singles titles during fall play. Dent was second in victories last season with 18, and carried her great play over to the fall. Dent won the Flight A singles title at the Maryland Invitational, and also went undefeated at the Georgia Tech Invitational. Mihneva also played well in fall play capturing the Flight C singles title at the Maryland Invitational.
The Terps return three talented sophomores Marianne Baker (Glenelg, Md.), Brooke Rogers (Reistertown, Md.), and Masha Senic (Glenmont, N.Y.), who gained a lot of experience last season and will be an integral part of the team's success this season. Baker was a pleasant surprise winning 17 singles matches in her first season and this fall teamed with But to capture the Cissy Leary Invitational doubles title. They also won the backdraw of the Riveria qualifying doubles this past fall. The tandem and Baker and But ended fall play ranked third in the ITA Northeast Regional rankings and 18th nationally. Rogers and Senic both had solid fall season's advancing to the finals in their respective brackets at the Maryland Invitational.
The tennis team will welcome three new players to the team, two freshmen Julia Graca (Toronto, Ontario), Tamar Huppes (Groningen, The Netherlands), and one junior transfer Veronika Subertova (Bratislava, Slovakia). "Veronika, Julia, and Tamar are very talented and driven young women. They have adjusted to Maryland well and I predict wonderful performances from all three," said Novak.
The Terps finished last year a few matches short of qualifying for the NCAA tournament but with another year of experience and great additions to the team that should be no problem for this squad. "We will continue our progress towards national prominence," says Novak. "Our team is talented and is willing to do the work necessary to achieve success nationally and in the ACC."
