Lady Pirate Tennis Ready For 2011 Campaign
February 01, 2011 | Women's Tennis
Feb. 1, 2011
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's tennis team looks to continue its winning ways in 2011 after posting the program's highest single-season win totals in five of the last six campaigns. The Lady Pirates followed a 17-9 mark in 2005 with back-to-back 19-win seasons in 2006 and 2007. After recording 17 and 18 victories in 2008 and 2010, respectively, the 2011 edition looks to solidify ECU as an up-and-coming program in Conference USA.
The Lady Pirates are guided by head coach Tom Morris, who is beginning his 13th season of leadership. Morris has enjoyed much success in his tenure at East Carolina, and expects much of the same from his experience-laden 2011 squad.
"Without question, this team has great talent and ability," Morris said. "We will need to rely on our new players to provide needed depth as well as rely on our experienced players to provide the leadership necessary to make this year a success. This year's team will be much deeper than any I have ever coached."
The Lady Pirates return eight (of 10) players from a squad last year that finished 18-10, including seniors Jessica Cook, Kristin Gordon, Audrey LePottier, and Tamara Sachs. Cook spent much of last season as the top player in the Pirate lineup and is expected to start 2011 in a similar role. Last season, she posted a 9-8 mark at the No. 1 position before finishing with an overall ledger of 13-12.
"Jessica has played in the No. 1 position in each of her years here and she continues to work hard," Morris said. "She is showing solid improvements, which is evident in her record in each of her first three seasons. We will look to her, our team captain, for needed leadership."
ECU enjoys the luxury of returning the No. 1, 2, 3, and 4 players who accounted for 76 percent of the team's singles victories last season. Cook, LePottier, junior Natalie Collins and sophomore Petra Vogel recorded 74 of the Lady Pirates' 97 singles triumphs a year ago. Vogel, an All-Conference USA performer as a freshman in 2010, drew more praise from Morris after a strong fall.
"Petra ended the season last spring winning six of her last seven matches at the No. 2 position, and we look to her to begin this year where she ended last year," he stated. "She showed tremendous improvement last year, had a very solid fall and we believe that she will continue to have an impact at the top of our lineup."
The roster is also made up of sophomores Abby Richmond and Yilian Zhang, who experienced extensive action in the lineup a year ago. The Lady Pirates should also benefit from a solid recruiting class, bringing in talented newcomers Manon Bissat, Vanessa Fuleihan, and Neena Wanko. Morris noted that ECU will need contributions from everyone on the team in order to have a successful season in the face of one of the toughest schedules in the program's history.
"This year's schedule will be extremely challenging," Morris explained. "It's difficult, but very important for us if we want to see continued improvement. Our goal this year is to win throughout the lineup, and in order to do that, we will have to work hard to be more competitive in the top and bottom of the lineup in both singles and doubles."
ECU will embark on its 2011 campaign Tuesday, Feb. 1 with a 3:30 p.m. match at Davidson before hosting Appalachian State in its home opener Saturday, Feb. 5 at 10 a.m.
