A Breakthrough Season
Women's Tennis Team Has Talent to Move Up in 1998,
Opens New Season Wednesday Hosting D-II Bloomsburg
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) - The 1998 Susquehanna University women's tennis team is looking to improve on last season's 3-9 record and fifth-year head coach Bob Jordan believes they have the talent to do that among the 19 players on the team. It also lost just one full-time starter to graduation from last year.
"The squad is deeper and stronger than any team so far. If health maintains, they should produce the best record yet," said Jordan, who is a 1971 Susquehanna graduate.
Jordan will find out just how talented his team is when it hosts Division II Bloomsburg University in Wednesday's 4 p.m. opener. While winning that match may still be a reach, the Crusader coach is still optimistic that his team could enter the upper echelon of the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League.
In order for the Crusaders to do that, they will need solid years from senior co-captains Amy Himmelberger (Strausstown/Hamburg Area H.S.) and Erin McCauliff (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop H.S.).
Himmelberger struggled a bit at number three singles last year - winning just two of eight matches - but had a great doubles season, teaming up with junior top-seed Meghan McGinnis (Washington Crossing/Council Rock H.S.) to advance to the semifinals at MAC Individual Championships. Himmelberger and McGinnis were 5-2 as a team last season and will play number one doubles again this season.
McCauliff returns to the team after studying abroad last season and will play at sixth singles. While she played just three varsity singles matches in '96, she teamed up for a 7-2 record at number three doubles that season.
McGinnis was bothered by an early ankle injury last season and won just three of her 10 singles matches at the top of the lineup. Jordan is hoping a healthier McGinnis can start faster this season.
Junior Sarah Curley (Montrose/Elk Lake H.S.) is also back at number two singles, where she recorded a 5-4 record last season. She also had a combined doubles record of 7-3 with two different partners. Curley will be playing at both the number two singles and doubles positions.
"Co-captains McCauliff and Himmelberger are unifying the squad, with juniors McGinnis and Curley setting high work standards," said Jordan of his leaders.
Joining Curley in number two doubles position will be sophomore Allison Johnson (Audobon, N.J./Audobon H.S.). This is Johnson's first year on the squad and she will also be starting in the fourth singles spot.
Freshman Caroline Li (Highland Park/ Highland Park H.S.) is another newcomer who has impressed Jordan in the preseason, starting at number five singles. She will also team with McCauliff at third doubles.
All the doubles teams will be key to a fast start in MAC Commonwealth League play this season since the league will now start matches with eight-game pro sets in doubles, followed by the full singles matches.
Sophomore Allyson Jones (Pennsburg/Upper Perkiomen H.S.) will also provide some experienced depth to the singles. While she dropped her four varsity matches last season, Jordan believes she has shown much improvement.
Closely behind the top seven are sophomores Jennifer Chizik (Riva, Md./South River H.S.) and Alyssa Miller (Sellersville/Pennridge H.S.) and senior letterwinner Mindy Haake (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah H.S.).
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