LYCOMING WOMEN’S TENNIS LOOKING FOR “NET” GAINS IN 2001

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Success in collegiate athletics can often be attributed to one strong recruiting class or a group of very talented athletes whose college careers coincide. However, when that success is maintained over the course of nearly a decade the quality of the program as a whole come clearly into focus.

The Lycoming College women’s tennis team, under the direction of head coach Deb Holmes, has proved itself a quality program. Since women’s tennis returned to a fall schedule in 1993, the Warriors have posted eight consecutive winning seasons and a combined record of 63-20. In 2000, Lycoming won their third Middle Atlantic Freedom Conference championship and recorded the program’s third undefeated regular season with a mark of 10-0. This season the Warriors will look to build on their recent success and add to the overall history of the program.

“Every year it seems as if all the teams in the conference improve, making it harder for us to maintain the standard we have set,” said Holmes. “So, we just have to go back to work and concentrate on our goals of winning the Freedom Conference, qualifying for the playoffs and winning the MAC tournament.”

Leading the way towards accomplishing those goals is a core group of four returning starters from last season’s team. Hughesville High School graduate Cricket Temple (Hughesville, PA) returns for her junior season after posting an 11-0 mark at first-singles a year ago. Her performance earned her player of the year honors for the Freedom Conference. Temple was also the MAC Individual Singles Champion her freshman season and has posted a record of 24-1 thus far in her collegiate career.

Meredith Moerschbacher (Montoursville, PA), a graduate of Montoursville High School, also returns for her junior campaign following a perfect 11-0 record at third singles in 2000. She will likely move up to the number two spot this season. In her two seasons competing for Lycoming, Moerschbacher has a career record of 21-3.

Temple and Moerschbacher combined their talents to form the Warriors’ number one doubles team last season. Their individual successes translated into team success, as they finished the year 10-1 in double competition.

Heidi von Schwedler (So./Tannersville, PA; Pocono Mountain) and Dara Berninger (Jr./Muncy, PA; Muncy) both return following stellar rookie seasons for Lycoming a year ago. Von Schwedler competed at number four singles and turned in a mark of 8-2. She also played on the second doubles team that went 8-1. Berninger cracked the starting lineup at both fifth and sixth singles in 2000, posting a singles record of 8-3. She also went 6-2 in doubles competition.

Other returning veterans include Sara Deardorff (Sr./North Wales, PA; North Penn), and Holly Metzger (Sr./Selinsgrove, PA; Selinsgrove).

“Our veteran players give us a solid base for the 2001 season,” said Holmes. “We just need to make sure they don’t get complacent. They need to work as hard as they did a year ago, not just to improve their own games but also to set the right example for our new players.”

Two of those new players that could make an immediate impact for Lycoming are Alissa Brown (Fr./Hughesville, PA; Hughesville) and Pamela Zeger (Fr./Potomac, MD; Winston Churchill). Brown was a high school teammate of Temple and played number one singles at Hughesville High School last season. Zeger comes from a strong high school program in Maryland and will add another left handed player to the lineup.

Amy Ramaley (So./Easton, PA; Pen Argyl) and Lauren Pilgermayer (Fr./Kunkletown, PA; Pleasant Valley) also join the team for their first season of collegiate tennis.

The Warriors begin their season at home when they host Messiah College at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, September 3.