Women battle two ranked opponents
BY COLIN BOYLAN
Sports Writer
As its season winds down, the Notre Dame women's tennis team might be tempted to start looking ahead to the Big East Tournament in Miami, Fla.
However, two tough matches remain before the Irish can focus their attention on Miami's sunny beaches.
This weekend, the Irish will head south to Williamsburg, Virginia to take on 14th-ranked William and Mary before traveling to Austin, Texas for a Monday match against the 10th-ranked Longhorns.
The two matches represent the seventh consecutive time the Irish have had to play a top-30 opponent and will be a fitting end to a brutal late season schedule.
"We expect both matches to be very tough," said Irish coach Jay Louderback. "William and Mary and Texas are both very good teams, but they both very beatable."
As always, the key for the Irish will be to gain early momentum by winning the doubles point. Since Louderback shifted the doubles lineup several weeks ago, he has been pleased by his team's play and expects that part of the lineup to be solidified.
"Our doubles looks good right now. I'm confident in that aspect of our team," he said.
On the singles side, the Irish have experimented by playing people at different positions, with only marginal degrees of success. The one constant this season has been Alicia Salas, who has anchored the team this season from the fourth singles spot with a stellar 21-2 record.
On the other side of the court, William and Mary heads into the match with a 15-6 record, while the Longhorns boast a 14-5 mark.
And while both teams sport records superior to the Irish 11-11, the Longhorns are reeling from a 7-0 thumping at the hands of Vanderbilt, while the Tribe is coming off a tight 4-3 loss to Texas.
It would seem as if the door were open for the Irish to gain some last-minute preparation heading into season-ending tournaments and perhaps even squeak out a victory or two.
The Irish hope their match against Texas helps the team develop more outdoor playing experience that will come in handy during the Big East Tournament, especially against rival Miami.
"We know Miami is going to be tough wherever we play them, but they're probably going to be even better outdoors," said Katie Cunha. "We want to be ready for that."
All Sports Stories for Friday, April 12, 2002
