SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA women's tennis team begins its spring season this weekend at the SMU Kick-off. The Roadrunners will open the campaign on Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe and will conclude the weekend the next afternoon against the host Mustangs.
Below is an outlook for the upcoming year.
2011 season outlook
Following a challenging season a year ago, the UTSA women’s tennis team is focusing on a brighter future. With only one upperclassman, the Roadrunners finished 4-16 overall last season and missed the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time in six years.
“Last year was a very difficult year for myself and the players,” fifth-year head coach Erin Scott said. “I think it was especially difficult because we had such a good year the previous season and they thought they were going to repeat it.”
The Roadrunners were one victory away from an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008 after falling to UT Arlington in the Southland Tournament Championship Match.
“Each year you are faced with different challenges and your season really depends on how well you react to them,” Scott said.
The Roadrunners have spent a lot of time talking off the court about returning to contender status. Scott is excited about the upcoming season with an older and more experienced squad.
“We have a great group of girls who genuinely care for one another and for UTSA,” she said. “All of them have worked extremely hard on the court and want to do well for themselves and their teammates this season.”
The Roadrunners will rely on senior Caroline Dedering – last year’s lone upperclassman – and newcomer Stefanie Peana – a junior transfer from Texas Tech – to carry the team’s leadership responsibilities.
“Caroline has a tremendous amount of pride in UTSA,” Scott said. “Stefanie has the experience and the girls respect her on and off the court. Those two work well together as leaders.”
Juniors Micaela Silva and Katie Ottenbreit both will add to the Roadrunners’ experience. Silva competed in a majority of last season’s matches at the No. 1 position both in singles and doubles, while Ottenbreit posted the second-most wins on the team in conference play.
In addition to the four upperclassmen, a pair of sophomores return after completing their inaugural campaign a year ago.
Kavya Menon led the Roadrunners with nine wins in singles play as a freshman. The Plano native also notched five Southland victories and earned seven wins in doubles action.
“Kavya is a competitor,” Scott said. “She hates to lose matches and that is a quality you can’t teach.”
Mariel Maffezzolli competed in singles and doubles as a freshman and will return to bolster the Birds’ depth in 2011.
UTSA’s lone freshman this season is Swedish import Isabelle Jonsson. The Eskilstuna native impressed Scott in fall tournament action and should prove to be a valuable addition to the team. Jonsson joins Peana as the only newcomers for 2011 and they will team up in doubles play for the spring.
“Stefanie and Isabelle are stepping right into the top of our lineup,” Scott said. “They both have a ton of experience and are going to help our team greatly.”
The Roadrunners’ first step for a return to success began in the fall when they competed in four tournaments.
“We played several matches and gained a lot of experience in the fall,” Scott said. “I was really pleased with how the team competed and supported one another.”
UTSA will begin the spring with a challenging slate of non-conference opponents, highlighted by a three-day tour of California schools in February. The Roadrunners’ non-conference foes also include SMU, which advanced to the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
They begin the 11-match Southland slate in March.
“The season, as a whole, is challenging,” Scott said. “In the Southland, every team is so competitive. We just have to be ready to play hard and compete.”
If the Roadrunners can overcome the hurdles and challenges presented during the season, they could find themselves back in the Southland Tournament, which will be held in San Antonio in April.
“Our ultimate goal is to peak during the postseason,” Scott said. “However, the season is long and our girls need to take it one match at a time.”
