Fairfax, Va. --Walking into George Mason University's Field House, one observes a multitude of activities being conducted.  One of those activities is tennis.

It is where Ekaterina “Kate” Desiatnikova and her teammates can be found preparing for the next set of weekend matches.

Desiatnikova, 17, is a freshman on the team that was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Influenced by her parents, particularly her mother, Desiatnikova has been playing tennis since she was 5-years-old.  However, now that she has more demands as a college student, the family had to decide if playing tennis during college was in her best interest.

“My parents want me to quit tennis because I have a bunch of injuries,” she said.  “But I don't really want to because I just love the sport.”

While Desiatnikova said she does not model her game off of a particular player, she admires Venus Williams and her relentlessness and intensity no matter what the situation during matches.  Desiatnikova has also met Williams a couple of times, only further enhancing her admiration of Williams.

When it came to choosing a school, Desiatnikova pointed to two main factors about why she came to Mason:  the university's acclaimed business program and head coach Steve Curtis.

“He was like a dad,” she said.  “He called me when I wasn't committed here yet, but he called me to say me happy birthday.”

What Desiatnikova did not realize until she came to Mason, was the chemistry and bond among the members of the team.

“We are very close to each other, we get along with each other, we spend every single weekend with each other,” she said.

Tennis, known for its individuality and personalities between its competitors such as professional rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, is completely different at the college level.  While tremendous individual efforts are needed, the end result is a team score rather than an individual score.

Desiatnikova joins a young, deep, and talented women's team that won a record 21 matches last year and returns a majority of its key pieces.  The team features Kiersten Pappas, who as a freshman was named to the All-CAA Third Team in both singles and doubles play.  Also returning are Lindsay Gray, who posted a career-high 17 wins last year, Aryn Christman, who also set a career-high in wins with 21, Brooke Blackwell, who won 19 games in a row en route to 21 total wins, and Alison Wingo, who posted a respectable 16 wins as a freshman.

Desiatnikova is embracing the challenge of earning time alongside fellow freshmen Ashley Delaney and Yasmin Fotovat, along with having teammates.

“It's more interesting to play in a team than just for yourself like singles as I used to play before,” she said.

Desiatnikova and her teammates are coming off two straight conference losses against UNC Wilmington and Hofstra.  The team will look to rebound in matches against Lehigh University and St. Francis (NY) this weekend.