Jerry ZurekAlmost one year later the women’s tennis team is starting its season again and is hoping to be able to regain the title of Pennsylvania Athletic Conference champions.
“It’s our goal to win again,” John Magee, head coach of the women’s tennis team, said, “but we did lose half of our team.” Since last year the team has lost five of its 10 members, but they have now gained five new freshman players and one junior.
Caitlin Scott, co-captain, said, “Last year was the first year we won the PAC championship, and our major goal is to do that again.”
Rachel Shore is the other co-caption of the team and describes the team as “one big family.”
Lisa Rodgers, a freshman, won the Delaware county player-of-the-year award for tennis when she was a junior in high school. This will be her first year playing on Cabrini’s team. “I’m happy to be here and I’m having fun so far,” Rodgers said. “It’s a lot better than I expected.”
Two-time, all-county player, Dina DiTanto, is another freshman player this year. “We do have some really good players,” Magee said, “and we always have a good time.”
“It’s a little nerve racking being thrown into college tennis,” Rodgers said. “I came from a pathetic team, so it’s a breath of fresh air to have the ball come back over the net,” she said.
Scott said, “We’re a small team, so we’re all close, are always together, and we don’t have any issues.”
“It’s nice to be playing tennis with friends,” Rodgers said.
Marywood University is the team’s biggest rival and last year Cabrini beat them 8-1. “We’re expecting to beat them,” Magee said. “As a coach you have your own expectations, but yeah, we want to beat everybody.”
Magee said that he is hoping to help the players improve their mental approach to the game. “Anyone can hit a ball,” he said. “Knowing what to do and when to do it will help them mentally understand the game.”
Scott and the rest of the team are also hoping that more spectators will come out and support the tennis team. “People don’t give tennis enough credit. The atmosphere is so much better when people are out here and the games are fun.”
The tennis team’s next match will be held away on Friday, Sept. 9, against Neumann College at 3:30 p.m., followed by a home match on Saturday, Sept. 10, against Immaculata University at 1 p.m.
