Dave Scarnato
Staff Writer

“One of our team mottos is, “Believe it, achieve it.”  From day one, the team has been striving to achieve the great goal of winning
the CSAC.”

With that statement from Captain Beth Schneider, how much more determination do you need? As of deadline, the Marywood Women’s Tennis team is 4-1 and is off to a great start. However, the schedule features seven straight CSAC matches in a row. Will this be a challenge for the Pacers?

Kristin Guba, a junior from Latham, New York, views the team’s chances to win with much optimism. “I believe we have a strong team, with much depth. The presence of upperclassmen that we have makes our team very dynamic. Therefore, I am confident in our chances this year.”

The Pacers are returning nine players from last year. Five of the veterans are juniors Lindsay Burke, Morgan Fereck, Kristin Guba, Ashley Karli, and Beth Schneider. Aubrey Klesh is the lone senior. Returning sophomores are Lauren Fersch, Kara Hoff, and Elizabeth Sullivan. The rookies that are already making an impact are Melissa Hudock, Caili Nizamis, and Erika Von Zup. The team is coached by Peter Hubiak, in his fourth year at the helm, and assistant Jamie Va- lis, in her second year.

Leadership is a bit youthful. Last year, Burke and Schneider were named team captains as sophomores. This privilege and duty is a challenge to most young players, but not to Burke.

“Being a captain means I have to be a role model, not telling people what to do. I do my best as a captain by leading by example and my teammates feed off of it. We all get along, which makes being a captain a privilege, not a responsibility.”

Speaking of privileges, Burke early on in the season won a prestigious award in the CSAC conference. She was awarded “Athlete of the Week” for her actions on the court.

“It is definitely an honor, but mostly it was a pleasant surprise” said Burke. But, would this award so early in the season make Burke a target for opposing players?

Burke did not think so. She is up to the challenge.

“Hopefully the opposition has no idea that I won the award,” Burke joked. “I just take my game match by match and not let anything bother me.”

Two tough opponents that the Pacers will face are Gwynedd Mercy and Neumann. These two squads have given the Pacers a tough challenge over the past few seasons. But, the girls are ready to
take them on. “I think we can consider Gwynedd Mercy and Neumann our in-conference rivals,” Kristin Guba commented. “They are very tough to play against, but we are up to the challenge to play above and beyond our potential to try to beat them.”

This group of girls has what it takes to compete and win on the tennis courts. In their interviews, they are extremely friendly and always have a smile on their faces. On the courts, they are all business and are ready for action. This program is one of the most successful in Marywood athletics. They know the stakes, and they want to be a part of this history that is Marywood Women’sTennis.

The next home match is October 13 against Cedar Crest. Come out and support your Marywood Women’s Tennis Team. You will not be disappointed. Log on to mupacers.com for updates on matches and times.