2/14/2008 - PREVIEW: Balanced Bruins Set Sights on Higher Ground in Conference
NEWBERG, Ore. - If there is one word that might be used to describe the 2008 George Fox University women's tennis team, it would have to be "balanced".
"There is no question this is the deepest team we have ever had," says head coach Rick Cruz, who is entering his eighth season at the helm of the Bruin women's program. "We have 13 or 14 who can play, and they are all going to get a chance to show what they can do. Each of our players have some good tennis skills, and we should have nine or ten of them competing for the top six positions as the season goes along."
The Bruins lost three of their top six players from last year's 1-16 team that tied for eighth in the Northwest Conference at 1-15, including No. 1 player Valerie Ring, but Cruz looks for newcomer Heather Orr (Fr., Kelso, Wash. / Kelso HS) to step into Ring's position. "She has looked solid as our No. 1 player with a bright future," the coach remarks. "She could be among the best in the conference before her career is over."
The Bruins have seven letterwinners back, and most of them will be vying for considerable playing time at the 2 through 5 positions, with the competition strong among returnees Lindsay Hagler (Sr., Selah, Wash. / Selah HS), Kelsie Howell (Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore. / Lakeridge HS), Brittany Ekstrom (So., Gresham, Ore. / Sam Barlow HS), and newcomer Mollee Robinson (Fr., Powell Butte, Ore. / Crook County HS). Hagler was 3-13 at No. 2 singles last year and Cruz expects her to be in either the 2 or 3 slot once again. Howell was hampered by injuries and was limited to two matches all season. Ekstrom was a pleasant surprise, going 5-11 at No. 5 singles.
Alayna Shaw (Sr., Salem, Ore. / Blanchet Catholic HS), who was 5-7 at No. 6 singles, gives the Bruins a good competitor at that spot but is also capable of playing higher in the order. Returnee Shanna Lesire (Jr., Silverton, Ore. / Silverton HS) was 1-2 in limited action but could also challenge for the No. 6 position.
Also looking to push their way into the lineup - and they will be given ample opportunity to do so - are returnees Linsey Wages (So., Springfield, Ore. / Thurston HS), who played in only one singles match but seven doubles matches, and Danika Heering (Sr., Bend, Ore. / Mountain View HS), one of two left-handers on the squad. They will compete with a trio of newcomers for playing time: Betsy Ann Penman (Fr., Centralia, Wash. / Centralia HS), Courtney Banks (Fr., Stevenson, Wash. / Stevenson HS), and Sarah Ashpole (Fr., Medford, Ore. / South Medford HS), the latter also a lefty.
Rounding out the roster are returnee Lauren Miller (Jr., Pendleton, Ore. / Pendleton HS) and newcomer Lauren Shelp (Fr., Pasco, Wash. / Connell HS).
For the doubles pairings, Cruz expects to start with Howell and Hagler at No. 1, Ekstrom and Orr at No. 2, and Robinson and Ashpole at No. 3, but that is subject to adjustment as well. "We've got about five doubles combinations that have all looked pretty good," says the coach, "and they are all pretty close in skills, so we'll want to give everyone a chance."
After Orr at No. 1 singles, Cruz admits that "most positions are unsettled, so we will probably do a good bit of 'trial-and-error' the first half of the season, giving everyone a chance to nail down a position. As a result, we might not see a lot of team wins early, but by the end of the season, we're going to be tough enough to hang with most teams. We're a young team with six freshmen, so we intend to focus on helping each player get better each and every match. "
As usual, the team's goal is to make the top six in the conference standings and advance to the NWC Tournament April 18-19 in Yakima, Wash. "I certainly think we will prove to be competitive overall with most to the teams in the top six," predicts Cruz.
The season gets under way for the Bruin netters Friday, Feb. 15, when they travel to Walla Walla, Wash., to open with conference foe Whitman College at 4:00 p.m. The first home match for the team is set for Friday, Feb. 22, when they entertain Pacific Lutheran University at 2:00 p.m.