Thursday, October 11, 2007

            A young Valparaiso University women’s tennis team will open the 2007 fall season under new head coach Jay Adams, who returns to his alma mater looking to help lead the Crusaders into the thick of Horizon League competition.

            Adams takes over a Valpo program which went 11-10 overall and 5-2 in the Mid-Continent Conference last spring, and will be looking to use this fall to propel the Brown and Gold into the spring dual match season.  Adams’ squad is young, though, as Valpo is void of any seniors and will be led by five juniors on the courts.

            Second Team All Mid-Con selection Kim Sajevic won her final six contests during the spring season, but is overseas this fall and will not return to the roster until spring.  Sajevic posted a 14-10 record overall last year, including a perfect 5-0 league mark playing mainly third singles.

            Juniors Jenny Schwartz and Lindsey Gustafson were both regulars in the starting six for Valpo last spring as well, and will be called upon to move up in the lineup this year.  Schwartz won 11 singles contests for the Crusaders during her sophomore season while Gustafson added eight victories.

            Molly Keifer notched a 6-2 record last year for the Brown and Gold while Lauren Kloostra had a 2-1 mark during the 2006 fall season.  Both juniors will look for bigger roles on the team this year.

            Julie Wingstrom mainly played as a doubles specialist during her rookie season for the Crusaders, competing at the top of the doubles lineup.  She teamed to win eight matches during her freshman season, and, with a year under her belt, is more adapt to collegiate tennis heading into her second season.

            Sophomores Christine Antrobus and Camill Burden each will join the team in 2007 as well, in addition to freshmen Laura Lawson and Jackie O’Reilly.  The four newcomers will all look to make their mark this fall in hopes of making their way into the lineup come spring.

            Valpo will play a pair of tournaments this fall in addition to two dual matches.  The Toledo Invitational October 13-14 will mark the team’s first action on the courts before the Crusaders head to Oakland and Wayne State on October 15.  The fall season will wrap up October 26-28 at the Chicago State Invitational.

            The upcoming fall season will be a chance for Adams to blend his roster before the Brown and Gold begin Horizon League play this coming spring.  Without any seniors, the competition for spots in the lineup will be fierce, thus providing for some solid competition this fall.