Sports

UH serves notice as it continues season

By Emily Davis
The Daily Cougar

Websteris Dictionary defines "marathon" as an endurance test, and for nine UH athletes, a new semester of competition bears no other description.

"This season is a marathon," head coach Jennifer Hyde said. "Weire going to have peaks and valleys, but the real success is not going to come until the end."

As the Cougars move into their first team-tennis matches Saturday at the John E. Hoff/Varsity Tennis courts, the need for a leader has grown.

"We are waiting for one of the players to step up," Hyde said. "This is a young team and they donit realize it is in their best interest to have someone be the leader."

Freshman Kami Miller, who transferred from the Air Force Academy after one semester, is UHis newest addition. The Arizona native was nationally ranked in high school and never lost a regular season match.

Combined with that hard work, the Cougars will rely on skill and endurance as they take on McNeese State at 11 a.m. and Texas Pan American at 2:45 p.m. Todayis scheduled match against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was postponed because of cold weather.

"Just because these are not nationally ranked teams does not mean we shouldnit give them the respect they deserve," Hyde said. "These teams are coming into our house and they want to beat us. It will be great competition."

Looking to get in on the competition this weekend will be the teamis only senior -- 5-2 right-hander Analia Longoni. Longoni placed in each of her competitions last semester, and notched a flight championship in the Cougar Fall Classic.

Junior Karin Urbin and freshman Miranda Foley, who also took a flight championship in, have the strength UH needs.

McNeese State promises some stiff competition with Deborah Montero, who went 16-3 last season and was ranked No. 4 for much of the year.

Texas Pan American is looking for its first road win after a 7-0 loss to Southern Methodist on Friday. Freshman Laura Boskovich was the only player to take more than one match for the Broncos.

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