Sunday, January 19
10:00:00 AM
Lehigh University
vs
Drexel
Improved Mountain Hawks set to open spring season Sunday vs. Drexel
1/17/2014 11:17:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Lehigh women's tennis team opens its spring season this weekend eager to improve on its performances in recent seasons. The Mountain Hawks were 5-15 a year ago but were more competitive than that record may indicate. Last year's Lehigh squad featured zero seniors, so head coach Dave Shook enters his 18th season with all of his top performers form a year ago back. That, plus the addition of four freshmen gives the Mountain Hawks hope that they can take the next step this season.
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"We have a great group of hard working athletes," Shook said. "I really like this group. We have four freshmen who should all contribute and great leadership from our seniors who are making it all come together."
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The Mountain Hawks will be led by their three-member senior class of Jenai Bilimoria, Taylor Hampshire and Jill Sloand. Bilimoria returns as a two-time All-Patriot League selection, including a first team plaudit last year when she led the Mountain Hawks with eight singles wins. She is expected to man the No. 1 singles and doubles positions in Lehigh's lineup. Hampshire looks to finish her career strong after being limited by injuries over the last two seasons. She worked her way into Lehigh's doubles lineup last year but was limited to just two spring singles matches and now at the healthiest she's been in three years is primed for a strong year. Sloand returns as a contributor at the bottom of Lehigh's singles and doubles lineups and is one of the team's top scholar-athletes. She also posted three doubles wins in Patriot League play at the No. 3 flight.
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The junior class is led by Abby Farrell, who earned second team All-League honors and played No. 2 singles while going 10-10 at No. 1 doubles alongside Bilimoria. Molly Brooks also returns from a fall semester studying abroad. She played No. 5 singles primarily last season.
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Returning contributors Ali Kaminetsky and Marian Prim constitute the sophomore class, while Shook has also brought in four talented freshmen who will push for time in Jamie Campisi, Cassidy Cruz, Jessica Graham and Nina Larraza.
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"We're going to have a strong singles lineup with six really good players plus five others who are hungry to try and crack their way into the lineup," Shook said. "We have three really good doubles teams and more options than we've had in a long time."
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Lehigh will once again face a challenging schedule with the benefit that its first 11 matches this season will be played in the friendly confines of the Lewis Tennis Center. The Mountain Hawks will open with Drexel on Sunday and will host several tough opponents in the early season including Rutgers, Delaware, Towson, Temple and Villanova.
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The new-look Patriot League now features nine tennis-playing members and Lehigh will face seven of the other eight beginning with a neutral site match against Holy Cross March 21 at West Point, N.Y. Lehigh will host league power Army plus rival Lafayette and the Colgate squad that eliminated the Mountain Hawks from last year's league tournament. The Mountain Hawks will face league-newcomer Loyola plus Bucknell and Navy on the road. Bucknell will also host the Patriot League Tournament in April.
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Lehigh will open its spring campaign against Drexel Sunday at the Lewis Tennis Center. The Dragons will also open spring play Sunday after going 9-7 last season and 2-0 in fall dual matches. Last year Drexel defeated Lehigh 5-2 in Bethlehem, with Farrell and Sloand accounting for the Mountain Hawks' two points.
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"This group really has embraced the hard work," Shook said. "They're definitely a group that wants to succeed, and they're chomping at the bit to get started."
Â
"We have a great group of hard working athletes," Shook said. "I really like this group. We have four freshmen who should all contribute and great leadership from our seniors who are making it all come together."
Â
The Mountain Hawks will be led by their three-member senior class of Jenai Bilimoria, Taylor Hampshire and Jill Sloand. Bilimoria returns as a two-time All-Patriot League selection, including a first team plaudit last year when she led the Mountain Hawks with eight singles wins. She is expected to man the No. 1 singles and doubles positions in Lehigh's lineup. Hampshire looks to finish her career strong after being limited by injuries over the last two seasons. She worked her way into Lehigh's doubles lineup last year but was limited to just two spring singles matches and now at the healthiest she's been in three years is primed for a strong year. Sloand returns as a contributor at the bottom of Lehigh's singles and doubles lineups and is one of the team's top scholar-athletes. She also posted three doubles wins in Patriot League play at the No. 3 flight.
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The junior class is led by Abby Farrell, who earned second team All-League honors and played No. 2 singles while going 10-10 at No. 1 doubles alongside Bilimoria. Molly Brooks also returns from a fall semester studying abroad. She played No. 5 singles primarily last season.
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Returning contributors Ali Kaminetsky and Marian Prim constitute the sophomore class, while Shook has also brought in four talented freshmen who will push for time in Jamie Campisi, Cassidy Cruz, Jessica Graham and Nina Larraza.
Â
"We're going to have a strong singles lineup with six really good players plus five others who are hungry to try and crack their way into the lineup," Shook said. "We have three really good doubles teams and more options than we've had in a long time."
Â
Lehigh will once again face a challenging schedule with the benefit that its first 11 matches this season will be played in the friendly confines of the Lewis Tennis Center. The Mountain Hawks will open with Drexel on Sunday and will host several tough opponents in the early season including Rutgers, Delaware, Towson, Temple and Villanova.
Â
The new-look Patriot League now features nine tennis-playing members and Lehigh will face seven of the other eight beginning with a neutral site match against Holy Cross March 21 at West Point, N.Y. Lehigh will host league power Army plus rival Lafayette and the Colgate squad that eliminated the Mountain Hawks from last year's league tournament. The Mountain Hawks will face league-newcomer Loyola plus Bucknell and Navy on the road. Bucknell will also host the Patriot League Tournament in April.
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Lehigh will open its spring campaign against Drexel Sunday at the Lewis Tennis Center. The Dragons will also open spring play Sunday after going 9-7 last season and 2-0 in fall dual matches. Last year Drexel defeated Lehigh 5-2 in Bethlehem, with Farrell and Sloand accounting for the Mountain Hawks' two points.
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"This group really has embraced the hard work," Shook said. "They're definitely a group that wants to succeed, and they're chomping at the bit to get started."
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