By: Brandon Wise / Staff Writer
The Golden Panthers women’s tennis team, ranked No. 64 nationally, is coming off of a much-needed lay off. The team is now 9-5, having won eight matches in a row, beating up on all their conferences foes.
The team has had twelve days to get back to the practice court and fine-tune their game. The players were excited for the time off, but are looking forward to getting back on the court.
“It was not even a break for us,” Coach Melissa Applebaum Dall’au said. “It was a time to put in the hard work to make ourselves even better than we have been before.”
That would be a scary thought, as the team is already on an eight-match win streak heading into the final stretch of the season. Most of the team’s wins have come by a score of 7-0 or 6-1.
STEPPING UP
Players such as Liset Brito, ranked No. 81 in the nation, and Lisa Johnson have played key roles in the success of the team over the past few weeks. They have combined to win eleven of their last twelve singles matches.
Freshman Guilietta Boha has been able to hold her own. She has stepped up and won four of her last five matches this season.
“We worked on points and playing more matches for experience,” said Lisa Johnson on how the team used their time off. “We got used to different patterns and where to hit certain shots.”
The team has been preparing for their next opponents, the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles, who are 9-6 on the season and have won five of their last six matches in pretty decisive fashion.
“Every team we play is always an opportunity for us,” Coach Applebaum Dall’au said. “This is another opportunity for us to go out there and prove what we can do at a high level.”
Lisa Johnson added: “I feel confident with my team. We still have room for improvement, but were getting along great as a team right now.”
IMPROVED FITNESS
A key focus of the team’s break between matches was fitness. The team has gotten the chance to get more cardio work and an overall physical fitness level rose and Coach Applebaum was pleased with what she saw.
“We’re constantly working on fitness. Getting even stronger and faster is a key to our success,” Coach Applebaum said. “Getting more aggressive is what we have to do to keep winning.”
Confidence will be a key for the rest of the season. If the team can keep playing at the level they are now, they believe the sky is the limit for the success they could have.
With the Sun Belt Conference tournament looming in the next few weeks, Coach Applebaum Dall’au still thinks the team needs some work before they are ready for it.
“We’re not there,” Coach Applebaum Dall’au said. “If we keep the confidence up, then were going to have the best shot we possibly can.”
The team will host those Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles on Wednesday March 30 at 1 p.m.
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