Jan. 25, 2003

2002-03 GEORGE MASON WOMEN'S TENNIS OUTLOOK

Desire, hard work and ability are very important in the game of collegiate tennis. But, so is experience. Entering his second season as navigator of the George Mason women's tennis program, head coach Michael Coleman has his eyes on the future as well as the present. Fielding a team loaded with youth and wide-eyed enthusiasm, he understands that it's going to take time for his 2002-03 Patriots to come together and play the way he knows they are capable of performing.

"I think it's good that we have young players," said Coleman. "If they are the right kind of person who is willing to push to improve and willing to accept their challenges to become a better tennis player, then we're fine. You can only get better with experience."

Coleman, who returns only three letterwinners from last season, has enlisted the aid of six underclassmen to fill out his roster. However, even though his team is young, he enjoys the fact that they get along and work hard on improvement.

"This team has great camaraderie and everyone is interested in the potential of the other player and wants them to do better," stated Coleman. "We get over any problems we have very quickly and everyone works hard and gets along."

Helping to make sure everyone is on the same page is the unquestioned leader of the team, Dinali DeSilva. The lone senior on the roster, DeSilva has improved greatly since her first season at Mason in 2000-01. A very aggressive player from the baseline, Coleman "is looking for good things from her this year." The more consistent she is, the better she's able to drive the ball. Coleman also believes "she has the ability to be a solid No. 1 player." Last season, DeSilva lead the team in victories, earning seven singles wins, of which two were against Colonial Athletic Association foes.

Also returning is sophomore Katie Sloper and junior Deepti Bhalla. Sloper is probably the one player that has improved the most. A good baseline athlete who's getting better approaching the net and volleying, she's more in control of her swing and has improved her footwork. She tied for the second most wins on the squad with three. Bhalla possesses a steady backhand and a positive attitude. Entering her third season on the team, she has the experience to be a steady performer in the lineup, after winning two matches last year.

"As our only returning veterans, I rely a lot on those three players," explained Coleman. "Dinali knows my expectations of her and she gets the job done. Katie and Deepti play a major role in working with the younger, less experienced freshmen, and helping to guide them in a positive direction. Our younger players are finding out that college tennis is much tougher than high school tennis, so it's good to have players who are familiar with how I do things and can help out."

Expected to contribute immediately are freshmen Jill Collins, Jenn Dektas and Kelly Melichar and sophomore Suzan Tugberk. All of which are entering their first full season as part of the Patriot program.

Collins, who played No. 1 singles as a junior and senior for nearby Robinson High School, has great potential and will become a stronger player as she adjusts to college tennis. In 2001, her and her partner played #3 doubles together and were named second-team all-district.

Dektas was a ranked player in her home state of Ohio and played on three state championship teams. She is a three-time high school state runner-up in individual doubles competition and made the all-league first team in four consecutive years. Another athlete who needs to adjust to the college game, Dektas is expected to play No. 2 singles for the Patriots. Her game involves strong forehand and backhand strokes, which allow her to overpower her opponent.

Melichar was standout performer at local Lake Braddock High School, where she was named second-team all-district in singles for two years and made first-team all-district in doubles as a senior. Coleman believes "she has a lot of potential to be a solid performer for George Mason." Her ability to hit the backhand and forehand is impressive, which has allowed her play very well against the other players on the team.

Tugberk received her tennis training from the Vanderveer Academy in South Carolina. Slated to play No. 3 singles, she's a good baseline player with a nice forehand and a steady backhand.

Adding depth to the Patriots' roster are freshmen Caroline Kanaskie and Kathleen Moore. Kanaskie hails from Unionville High School in West Chester, PA, while Moore was a 2002 first-team all-region and all-district selection out of Franklin (VA) High School.

The Patriot women will play a challenging tournament schedule in the fall before returning in the spring to face a slate dominated with regional and conference opponents. Mason opens the spring term at the VCU 4+1 Tournament in late January, before hosting its first spring dual match, Mar. 1, against UMBC.

They will also take on a number of competitors for matches during Spring Break in preparation for the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in Richmond in April. As part of the schedule, the Patriots are slated to face all nine other CAA teams in dual contests leading up to the tournament.

"My outlook for the spring season is quite high," stated Coleman. "I look for us to do very well. I know we'll have trouble against certain teams, but after that and in our conference, I expect us to be very competitive and win the majority of our matches. I believe we do have the potential to compete.

"It's going to take work. I've been working hard trying to get the players to the point where they should be able to be victorious if they work on their weaknesses and build on their confidence. For us to compete, we need to be stronger and to utilize our resources the best we can."