2007 Season Review: Women?s Tennis
4/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- After losing four seniors to graduation last season, the Alabama women's tennis team began the 2007 season with six underclassmen looking to make an immediate impact in the lineup. With 16 ranked teams on the schedule, four in the top- 25, Alabama knew they had a tough road ahead of them.
Looking at the schedule laid before them, the underclassmen knew they would be thrown into the fire in the opening weekend. Head coach Jenny Mainz did not want to waste any time getting her young squad acclimated to the competition they were going to face in the SEC. The team set off on their first road trip of the season to Lubbock, Texas where the Crimson Tide faced off against two ranked teams in Oregon and Texas Tech. The Tide came up short in both matches but the experience the young players gained from opening weekend was invaluable.
Alabama moved on after opening weekend to host a five-match home stint leading up to conference play. The Tide posted a 4-1 record, defeating No. 44 Colorado and No. 69 Furman in the process. Every freshman saw action in the lineup before heading into conference play.
The Tide struggled throughout the conference season, posting a 1-10 record and suffering a first-round loss to No. 24 Tennessee in the SEC tournament. However, the results of the season did not diminish the spirit of the young team, nor did it affect the way the team prepared for every match. Day in and day out the Crimson Tide gave 100 percent in practice and prepared for each match as if it were their last.
Alabama returns everyone except one senior, Mari Muller, who contributed to the team from the No. 1 position in singles and doubles. Muller and Brenes found their rhythm at the end of the season, winning three of their last five doubles matches including a win over No. 42 Megan Falcon and Mykala Hedberg of LSU.
The class of 2010 compiled 84 wins throughout the 2007 season, contributing more than half of the team's singles and doubles victories. Leading the team in victories this season was freshman Nicole Briceno who secured 29 victories from the No. 2 and 3 spots in the singles and doubles lineup.
Tennis fans will see familiar faces on the Tide roster next season, as it returns seven active players from this year's squad, including one of the most experienced sophomore classes in the SEC. Senior Andrea Brenes will be at the helm in the fall as the only senior on the roster and will guide a more experienced young team into the 2008 season. Following Brenes are juniors Shelley Godwin and Sofia Ayala and sophomores Paulina Bigos, Nicole Briceno, Bianca Svensson and Alice Tunaru.
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