2008 Woodie Awards
'Swinging' into action
Liz Hendricks
Issue date: 2/2/06 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
|
Freshman Scott Robertson from Australia is ready for the season to start.
"I just want to get a few wins under my belt, play some good tennis, and win conference," he says.
Vedran Sirola, Rodney Rapson, Kieran Ricci, and Arturo Nieto led the men's team to victory in the OVC Championship Tennis Match last season.
Sirola, Ricci, and Rapson were named to the All-OVC Team for their accomplishments, leaving young players like Bernardo Bachino and Robertson with big shoes to fill.
"It's going to be a huge loss," says head coach Steve Bailey, "But the young guys are talented."
The men have a difficult schedule at the start of the season, coming up against tough opponents like Auburn-Montgomery, Georgia State, Belmont and Samford. Coach Bailey is confident that the hard schedule will result in end-of-the season wins.
"Everyone is working really hard," says senior Christian Rybertt. "There's going to be the surprise factor because no one is expecting us to be there [OVC Tournament], but we are going to be there, and they better be careful."
Coach Bailey says the men's team will be viewed as underdogs this season, but that doesn't bother the team one bit. He says it's fun in a way because there is no pressure.
Sophomore Andres Amores from Ecuador played in his first conference tournament last year.
"As a freshman I wasn't very sure of how important winning conference was until that moment," says Amores. "After winning it was unbelievable."
"The fact that we lost four players doesn't mean that we have bad players. We are all willing to work very hard to win. There is a good atmosphere to workout and play tennis. As for the team, I think we are going to win it again."
The lady Gamecocks are also a young team, but held together by experienced players like senior Michelle Dushner from Savannah, Georgia and junior Erin Higgs from Houston, Texas.