Calvin’s women’s tennis team finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 10-1 record against tough competition. This record is an improvement over last season’s 8-5 record in out-of-conference games. With the better record comes higher expectations for the team’s upcoming conference season.
According to Head Coach John Ross, he expects the team to finish higher in the conference. “We think we’ve had a challenging out-of-conference schedule, and we’re looking to do better than our fourth-place finish in the conference last year,” Ross said.
This season, the team traveled down to Orlando, Florida for spring break and competed in four different matches, ending with a record of 3-1 in those games. “Going 3-1 over spring break was pretty big because we were playing good teams,” junior Marissa Baker said.
Besides the chance to compete in warmer weather, the spring break trip also allowed for team bonding. “It’s always such a fun environment off the court… it kind of becomes a second family,” Baker said.
According to Ross, the improvement between last season and this season has a lot to do with improved health this season, with both Averi Lewis, a member of the singles line-up, and Elise Norman, a member of the doubles line-up, staying healthy and contributing this season.
Ross also credited junior Delanie Minnema for her improvement this season to play a key role on the team in the six-singles spot. “Her fitness level and her drive and determination have made her a really strong number six player.,” said Ross.
Despite losing two seniors to graduation last year, the addition of healthy returners has allowed the team to have more experience than last year, according to Ross. The team has no graduating seniors this year, so the team is looking to retain all its current players this season to continue gaining experience.
One of the strengths of the team is depth; the team plays nine different players in matches while the average team plays only six different players, according to Ross. “The depth and competition of our team has been amazing,” Ross told Chimes.
While the team has shown much growth, Ross knows the team still has room for improvement. “We still have a ways to go with our serving percentage and consistency in singles and doubles,” Ross said. “I think we’re right on schedule. I think if we continue to serve the ball well and stay mentally focused I think we’re going to reach our team goals.”
Calvin’s women’s tennis begins Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) conference play Wed. March 27 at Adrian College.
