There’s nothing wrong with de-emphasizing the autumn term. Massachusetts’ women’s tennis coach Judy Dixon knows that.
“Each year we try more and more to downplay the fall season,” said Dixon yesterday, after her Minutewomen dropped a 6-1 match to Connecticut at the Upper Boyden Courts. “I’m just glad we only have two matches left.”
Things aren’t going too well in Maroon and White tennis nation.
Early this week, the team found out that senior Lindsey Gillooly, who recorded a 17-9 singles record and 19-10 doubles mark last season, may be out for the rest of the year. Dixon said she will find out tomorrow whether the injury is either a torn meniscus or anterior cruciate ligament.
To make matters worse, the NCAA has not cleared freshman Sasha Edelstein for play this season, due to confusion in international transfer regulations. Dixon said a second appeal has been filed on behalf of the Haifa, Israel native.
“We’re in trouble,” said Dixon, referring to the fact that she now has only six active players on the roster. “We’re really beaten up.”
And the troubles showed yesterday.
Freshman Stephanie Price won her singles match at the No. 1 slot for UMass, but UConn took the remaining four and one of two doubles matches to snatch the 6-1 victory.
“This was a surprise,” said senior Helena Horak, minutes after she and sophomore Susan Hyams won the Minutewomen’s only doubles point, 8-1.
Last year, UMass swept the singles matches in Storrs, C.T. for the 6-0 romp of the Huskies. But this season, the UConn women’s tennis program was granted scholarship money for the first time in school history, and greatly improved its roster quality.
The Huskie’s recent improvements, set with the Minutewomen’s fresh wounds, told the story in the lopsided outcome.
“UConn is a growing program,” Dixon said. “Plus we had the bull’s eye on our backs because we’re the (Atlantic 10) conference champions.”
Dixon also mentioned, that in light of last year’s contest, her players might have gone into the matches in a dismissive fashion.
“We had a hard time concentrating out there,” she said. “We weren’t mentally prepared.”
The plan now in the UMass camp is centered on getting out of the fall season healthy.
UMass will host crosstown rival Amherst College today at 3:30 on the Upper Boyden Courts. The game is a makeup from its Sept. 18 cancellation.
Amherst has reached the Division III Final Four in four consecutive seasons. The Lady Jeffs are 2-0 in dual matches so far this fall.
