by Tracy Timson
assistant copy editor
Cabrini’s tennis team finished fourth in the conference this year behind Marywood University, Beaver College, and closely behind Wesley College. The season ended with a 9-8 record.
Reggie Day, the team’s coach for the past 13 years, was very pleased with the season. Day said that this season was played very well, especially since it was what he considered to be a “rebuilding year.” The team had a lot of new players and only one senior.
Lori Gibbons, the only senior on the team, had a record of 3-6 in the conference and 7-14 overall.
Sara Rothfuss, a sophomore, had a record of 7-3 in the conference and 11-10 overall.
Melissa Arriola, a first-year student, ended this season with a record of 8-3 in the conference and 15-6 overall.
Andrea Sanchez played hard ending with a 6-4 in the conference and 10-11 overall.
Robin Blanda, another fist-year student, ended the 2000 season with a record of 7-3 in the conference and 13 and eight overall.
Most of this year’s matches had to be played with only five players, due to some injuries. This resulted in a forfeit of two matches at the beginning of each game. That means that the Cavaliers had to win five out of seven matches for a team win.
Coach Day said that the “ability of the girls to come back from being two and five early in the season” is one of the strongest traits of the team as a whole. The forfeits make it hard to come back but the women did the job well. Day also believes that the “quality and the tenacity of the players” kept them strong. “If they get down in a match they fight back.” He says that the team is always supporting each other.
“We were determined to do better because we did not want to let each other down,” Sara Rothfuss said.
Even Tara Ditrolio who was injured this season shows her team spirit by showing up at every game and cheering for her teammates. Before her injury, during the Beaver College match in September, Ditrolio was 3-2 in the conference and4-6 overall.
“Hopefully she will be back to play next year,” Day said.
“If I am cleared I’ll be back to play,” Ditrolio said,
Day’s advice for next year is that the women should keep on working to improve themselves.
“I’m real proud of them this year,” Day said, “next year they should go on the court and do the best they can.”
As for now, the team is happy with the 2000 season and looking forward to their trip to Hilton Head, S.C. over Easter break.
