In what is the last week of the fall season for both the men’s and the women’s varsity tennis squads, they both performed well in their respective tournaments. The men’s squad attended the 2004 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region Championships held at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. The women’s squad participated in the ITA Southern Regional Championships in Sewanee, Tennessee.
Both Bears squads ended their five-week fall season on a high note, with notable showings at multiple singles and doubles flights. Women’s team coach Lynn Imergoot, commended her team for playing at a high level in all of the individual flights. She said, “They all played really well, really strong at almost all the singles and the doubles slots.” Men’s coach Roger Follmer was proud of his team’s ability to translate the concepts learned at practice into positive results.
It is fairly evident that both coaches bring out the best of their players in tournaments, where individual play at both singles and doubles is crucial to the team’s overall accomplishment. It’s no surprise that coach Follmer has had a history of producing great players. In just three years as head tennis coach of the Bears, he has helped five of his players achieve All-American status. Along with the success of certain individuals, he has elevated the status and reputation of the Bears tennis squad by earning invitations to the Division III NCAA Indoor National Tennis Championships in February of 2003 and 2004, where top teams of the nation compete. In addition, under his leadership, the Bears have qualified for the NCAA Quarterfinals in both 2003 and 2004.
In the same regard, coach Imergoot’s list of accomplishments is mind-blowing. She has coached the women’s team since the program’s existence. And during her 29 year tenure, she has amassed an impressive .730 winning percentage, leading her team to 429 wins in that span. The women’s squad enters this season with the hopes of making an appearance in the NCAA tournament for the sixth year in a row. “Coach [Imergoot] always does a good job of preparing us and supporting us.” Senior Sara Kabakoff said.
The women’s squad played well against tough competition at the South Regional Championships. At multiple flights, the Bears faced Emory, a perennial powerhouse of the region. Senior Erica Greenburg knocked off Emory in the second round of the singles tournament in straight sets. Also, the tandem of Greenburg and fellow senior Becky Rovner, defeated Emory easily in the doubles section. They eventually made it all the way up to the quarterfinals.
Freshman Ashley Cook, who injured her foot before the season and was inactive for most of the summer, also led the Bears charge by cruising to the third round before falling to the third seed. She gave up a total of six games in her first and second rounds. Imergoot said, “Certain individuals could have certainly done better, but we all played our hearts out. And I’m proud of that.”
On the men’s side, the team’s success was highlighted by key performances by juniors Ari Rosenthal and William McMahan and freshman Charlie Howard, who all made it to the semifinals. Rosenthal, the top seed in singles, cruised, for the most part, all the way up to the semifinals, where he lost to the eventual champion. The doubles tandem of McMahan and Howard posted upsets in the earlier rounds before falling to the top-seeded tandem of Kalamazoo that eventually took home the title. Coach Follmer said, “I was very proud with the effort of all the guys. We were able to compete well and stay composed, which led to our success.”
Both Bears squads will resume play in February.