In an attempt to add some wins to its conference competition tally this year, the Virginia women’s tennis team has altered its doubles lineup. Though Virginia’s six-game losing streak continues, the modified lineup has been promising at times.
Trying to find a way to recuperate from a blowout loss to Duke last weekend, Virginia (10-8,3-6 ACC) changed the doubles lineup against North Carolina Sunday. Though the match also ended in a loss, the Cavaliers were able to secure the doubles point, boosting the team’s confidence.
“Generally speaking in college tennis, the doubles point is a big point,” Virginia assistant coach Troy Porco said. “If you can get that point, it’s a big difference between winning three singles and four singles matches just because usually the opponents are very well balanced, just like with us, it’s very evenly matched.”
Although considerable changes were made to the order last weekend, the team is still working to find ideal doubles pairs.
“You try to see as many combinations as possible to see who kind of works well with who and then you try to keep them together and keep the different teams together,” Porco said. “Then if you feel like some aren’t working that well after some time, you maybe try to switch it up some more or maybe some of it’s just kind of working through some things and improving, finding ways to improve.”
Apart from the different physical requirements for athletes between singles and doubles, play also is different because it forces players on the same side to interact with each other.
“There is such a thing as chemistry,” senior Maggie Yahner said. “You have to work well and mesh well with each other ... You can’t be two singles players out there. You have to play together as a team and that’s when really the whole team aspect comes into play on the doubles court.”
In addition to experimenting with doubles teams, the Virginia women will work on some specific mechanics of play such as keeping the ball low from the baseline, using volley-overhead combinations, expanding range from the net and continuing to improve serves and returns — when they play Wake Forest (12-9, 3-6 ACC) Saturday and N.C. State (4-15, 1-8 ACC) Sunday.
While the Cavaliers enter Saturday’s matchup hoping to snap a six-match losing streak, the Demon Deacons will be looking to put an end to a rocky stretch of their own. The squad has managed to win only two points in its last five matches, with its most recent loss coming at the hands of No. 5 Duke in a 7-0 sweep. While Virginia boasts only two ranked singles players, Wake Forest only possesses one — junior Sasha Kulikova, currently ranked No. 55.
The Cavaliers will face N.C. State Sunday in the team’s regular season finale. The Wolfpack appear to be an even weaker opponent than the Demon Deacons on paper, as the visitors enter the matchup having won only one conference match all season — a 5-2 victory against Boston College at the end of March. Against No. 17 Florida State last weekend, the Wolfpack managed only one point, as senior Neils Barringer upset No. 98 Federica Suess at the No. 4 slot.
“Wake Forest has certainly been a team that’s right around us right now, they’re right in our general area in terms of the ranking, they have a very strong program,” Porco said. “North Carolina State has historically been very strong. I think they’ve suffered some injuries and stuff this year, but still can be very dangerous especially at the top of their lineup.”
The Cavaliers take on the Demon Deacons and Wolfpack at the Snyder Tennis Center this weekend in their final two regular season matches of the 2008-09 season.
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