Friday, October 19, 2001

Women’s tennis gear up for early season test
By Bill Morrison
Skiff Staff

Head women’s tennis coach Roland Ingram said today will be a measure of how good his team will be this season.

“This is the best and biggest tournament of the fall (season), and competition is strong,” Ingram said. “Everyone will be there, every Division I university in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana will be there.”

Starting today, TCU is hosting the Omni Hotels Southwest Championships at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. There will be 26 schools and 159 players competing in the tournament.

“It is going to be a tough tournament,” sophomore Emily Waters said. “The (Texas women) are always good. (But) we are stronger than we were last year.”

Junior Rosa Perez said playing at home will be an advantage for the team.

“We have been practicing very hard and we are going to do great in the tournament,” she said.

Perez said Texas and Texas A&M will present the toughest competition at this tournament.

“Most of the time the top three are the best, but in those teams almost all the players are good,” Perez said.

The Frogs are currently fourth in the pre-season rankings for the Southwest Region of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor are the three teams ahead of TCU. All three will be at the tournament.

“I think I’ve got a good team and they’re playing well,” Ingram said. “I think we are better this year.”

Ingram said seniors Katrin Gaber and Leoni Weirich, Perez and sophomore Paty Aburto are his top four women in the tournament.

“We are capable of beating any of the other girls there,” he said.

Sophomore Saber Pierce is will not compete because of a broken thumb.

Gaber (No. 7), Aburto (No. 9), Perez (No. 27) and Weirich (No. 32) are all ranked in the Southwest Region. Aburto and Perez are also ranked fifth in doubles action.

Perez said even though she and Aburto have only played together in three matches, they have great communication and play together very well.

“It will be important and as well interesting to play at home, because it is our court and our environment,” Aburto said.

Competition begins this morning at 8:30 a.m. and continues through Monday.

Bill Morrison
w.c.morrison@student.tcu.edu