TicketsJan. 20, 2011
By Shawn Sell
GoBEARCATS.com
When the UC Tennis team kicks off its regular season this weekend, third-year head coach Angela Wilson will be optimistic. Her optimism stems from a pair of factors: a solid performance during fall tournaments by her team and a (finally) full complement of players.
With all six of the team's top players from last season's 11-13 squad back, along with an influx of fresh talent, Wilson sees an improved season on the horizon for the Bearcats. The opening portion of the season, the fall tournament phase, helped bring Wilson's outlook to fruition.
"This is my third year coaching at UC and we had our best fall at the tournaments we participated in since I've been here," she says. "At the Bowling Green Tournament, we won a couple of divisions and finished very high. We competed very well at the Indiana University Tournament against some tough Big 10 teams and others. I am optimistic going into our regular season starting this weekend. We have a tough weekend at Purdue and Ohio State, but I am encouraged by the play of our team as a whole in the fall going into our regular season."
Wilson will look to senior Ksenia Slynko, a native of Ukraine, to once again fill the role of the Bearcats' top player. Slynko, now in her third year in the top slot in the UC line-up, went 16-8 in dual match action last season, including a 5-1 mark in the BIG EAST. A notoriously slow starter, Slynko had her best fall to date this year and should be hungry entering the year after suffering her first BIG EAST Championship lost at the end of last season.
"(Ksenia) has played very strong in the fall and in practice," Wilson states. "I am very encouraged by her going into her senior year and I look for her to have a strong year. Every team has good number ones so it will be tough but I see her starting a lot stronger this year than in season's prior."
The other factor that should play into the Bearcats' favor this spring is the full roster that Wilson hasn't enjoyed in the past. While the roster this year isn't short on numbers, it also isn't short on talent. The added depth brought by several newcomers should benefit UC during the grind of a long season.
"Our depth is a lot better this year than any season I've been here for," Wilson says. "I think it will help us to compete in the BIG EAST and allow for rest, if needed, which will make us more prepared for the BIG EAST. The past two seasons because of the lack of depth, I think we've been tired during the long season. With the depth that we have, we have nine players and maybe a 10th joining us mid-season and I've had six or seven players in the past. I think that will help us to be able to be fresh for the BIG EAST Championship in April.
Headlining the list of newcomers and expected to nail down a spot high in the line-up is talented local product Ashleigh Witte. A native of West Chester, Witte burst onto the scene in the fall, winning the No. 3 singles flight at her first collegiate tournament at Bowling Green. Witte won two more matches at the Queen City Invitational and nearly bested Whitney Wofford, a top player from Tennessee at the ITA Regionals. Wilson came away very impressed with the play of her young freshman.
"I was very happy to see Ashleigh play so strong in the fall as a freshman," Wilson says. "She played super tough in all of our tournaments and I got a chance to really see her compete. She is transitioning very nicely from junior player to collegiate player. She beat an Ohio High School State Champion at the Bowling Green Tournament and that was nice redemption for her. Then, she almost beat Wofford at ITA Regionals and that showed her she can be a top-level player."
Witte, along with Iowa State transfer Jasmine Lee both figure to battle for spots near the top of UC line-up. That is creating a healthy competition between returnees and newcomers which Wilson calls "a good thing." Other players figuring to push for regular line-up assignments are junior Safiyya Ismail and sophomores Caitlin O'Gara (14-9 record last season) and Elise Woulfe.
The Bearcats' schedule is a full one with 23 dual matches scheduled between this weekend and the BIG EAST Championship in late April. UC starts the campaign playing indoors before moving to outdoor courts during spring break. A total of 10 BIG EAST matches are on the docket, which should help UC see where it stands prior to the Championship event.
"It's a long season and we are just in January and our championship isn't until April so a lot of things can happen between now and then," Wilson says. "There are 16 teams in the BIG EAST and we have landed 10th-13th in the past. I see us improving on that this year, I really do. We play a lot of BIG EAST matches this year and our goal is to make the top-six. We are a transitioning program and every match we are going to keep working towards our goal."
UC plays its first two matches this weekend, traveling to Big 10 members Purdue (Saturday) and Ohio State (Sunday). The first home contest, to be played at the Western Tennis and Fitness Club, is January 28th against Miami (Ohio). UC will play its first of five on-campus matches at the Talbert-Trabert Tennis Center on March 27th against Marquette.