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By Maria Borri
Apache Sports Editor
The women's tennis team heads for Regional competition having won all nine of their matches this season, and all but one with a perfect 9 – 0 score.
"A lot of these matches have been close, but the team has beared down," said coach Steve Crick. "They play to win. That is something that you can not coach."
Crick said that the most memorable game of this season thus far was against Rock Valley. IVCC was expecting a close match and won 9-0. The opposing team had really felt that they were going to win, but IVCC dominated throughout the game.
In the only less-than-perfect match, the IVCC women won 8 – 1. Nicole Frkol, playing at #2 singles, lost in a tie breaker against Sauk Valley on Aug. 28, in the first meeting.
Just before the women faced Sauk again, on Sept. 24, Crick said, "It (first match) could have gone either way and today she (Frkol) is determined to win."
And she did win that afternoon, beating her Sauk Valley competitor in three sets.
Thus far the team has also faced teams from Kiswaukee, Eureka, Joliet, Waubonsee and McHenry County.
Some matches have been canceled due to the weather. The team has also lost a couple of competitors: Lake County and College of DuPage do not have teams this year.
Crick has high hopes for regional competition, which begins Oct. 12 at Moraine Valley Community College.
"Everyone on the team has shown that they have the abilities to be regional champions, and we are looking to do just that," he said.
Ahead of the women is a crucial match versus McHenry County on Oct. 9. That match will most likely decide the seeding for the Regional Tournament. Crick thinks each member of the team should be seeded either #1 or #2 at Regionals.
Crick also believes the team has a good chance at repeating as National qualifiers. To qualify, the team has to either place first or second in the region or win the #1 singles or doubles bracket.
"The team is looking as strong as last year and has an excellent chance at making nationals," he said.
The team consists of four sophomores and two freshman. Wendy Grabowski plays the #1 spot, Frkol at #2, Sara Smith at #3. The top three all went to L-P and played tennis in high school together.
Kathryn Hertzner from Ottawa plays at #4, Heidi Hewitt from Princeton is at #5, and Melissa Avenarious is at #6.
"If you look at our roster from last year and compare it to this year, we only have two of our six doubles players back," Crick said. "To go unbeaten and the #2 and #3 doubles sports, where neither team of Smith and Hertzner or Hewitt and Avenarius have played together, it is an amazing feat."