It’s been nearly three weeks since the Cougars last took the courts in a tournament, but they return to action today in the Alonti Cougar Fall Draw. The matches will be hosted by UH and played at the John E. Hoff Courts through Sunday.
For its only home tournament of the fall season, UH looks to bounce back strong after a tough outing at the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Texas Regional Championships, hosted by Baylor on Oct. 16′-Oct. 20.
‘I felt we competed very well; we had some very good results in singles,’ head coach John Severance said. ‘I was a little disappointed in doubles. We mixed up some teams and I’m hoping we’re going to have some better doubles results in our tournament.’
Junior Joanna Kacprzyk and freshmen Maja Kazimieruk and Bryony Hunter made it to the main draw at the Wilson/ITA Regionals, but could not progress any further.
‘I don’t think it was any of the preparation, it was just (that) we are such a new and young team,’ Severance said. ‘A lot of nerves got to them where they weren’t just as match-tough as some of the people they were playing. They had some of our freshmen go against seniors.’
The Alonti Cougar Fall Draw could serve as an opportunity to get some of the younger members of the team to gain valuable match experience. The eight-member squad consists of three freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors and only one senior.
‘When you haven’t competed a whole bunch at the college level, the only way you get experience is by playing,’ Severance said. ‘All of them have something to prove; they all have their own goals.’
Severance said Kacprzyk, a native of Warsaw, Poland, has shown improvement during the season.
‘Joanna’s been getting better each week,’ Severance said. ‘She does the right thing on the tennis court, which leads to her success.’
Severance believes that his team is doing a good job of coming together and battling through obstacles.
‘We’re competing quite a bit at practice right now, gearing up for a very big tournament this weekend,’ Severance said.
