Boha leaves but incoming class ranked nationally

Jahrel Francis/Staff Writer

This recent season had the Panther’s tennis team dropped out the 2014 Conference USA tournament in the second round to the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. The Eagles received their 4-2 victory to the Panthers to go on to lose in the quarter finals to No. 3 seed North Texas.

With the end of the tournament, it indicated the end of Giulietta Boha’s Panther reign. The only senior had the best record of 25-4 in singles and 15-2 in doubles. Her record and team dedication implicate what sort of loss the Panthers have to endure through.

Testing the water for the new conference was not taken for granted. Carlotta Orlando and Boha alike earned All-Conference USA honors. Orlando concluded her sophomore year with receiving her Second-Team All-C-USA  honors selection while Boha received Third-Team All-C-USA honors selection.

Orlando’s longest win streak of 6 straight matches, to end the season, included her undefeated 3-0 record in the C-USA Tournament. This ending season concludes her second for the Panthers and is returning for next year.

Competition in next year will be without her strongest teammate Boha and three incoming true freshmen players. Orlando may have to be called into a leadership position and step up to lead the team to be a tough team and contend throughout the C-USA tournament.

With three incoming players that may fill the team roster and have some to better set up doubles matches with more strategic duos. The 2013-2014 season was a team of six just able to fit in all six positions.

With the possibility of having the five undergraduates return along with the new Panthers players won’t have to play through injury as the last year. Along with that, there is a lot less chance of injury and exhaustion allowing different rotations in practice, resulting in higher development in skills and well rounded experience.

Head Coach Katarina Petrovic announced the signing of Nerma Caluk, Andrea Lazaro, Monika Stanikova to National Letters of Intent. Caluk of Bosnia and Herzegovina was a top four finalist in a series of competitions under World Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation. Lazaro of Barcelona, Spain earned a series of singles and doubles championship titles under WTA and ITF. Stanikova of Trencin, Slovakia also found experience in a series of competitions as a finalist for WTA and ITF.

News came out today, Monday, June 2 that the recruiting class for Petrovic was ranked No. 17 in the nation by tennisrecruiting.net. FIU is one of two Conference USA schools in the top-25 as Rice University landed spot No. 12.

New talent and experienced Panthers will come under Petrovic to a hopeful season. They all will be together for the start of program of the fall semester. Continuing the trend of European players the panther have the potential to serve up fresh and improved results.

Rhys Williams contributed to this article.

-jahrel.francis@fiusm.com