Sports
 

Cougars itching to compete again

Competition with McNeese State will allow UH to tune up for difficult road ahead

By Barrett Goldsmith
The Daily Cougar

After nearly three months without feeling the rush of competition, the UH tennis team is about to get back the buzz.

The Cougars last played against an opponent at the Florida State Tournament on Nov. 11, 2003. They will return to competitive tennis against McNeese State on Saturday in a contest that will serve as a tune-up for a tough spring schedule.

"This will be a chance to compete without having a lot of nerves to deal withand without having all the pressure of a conference match," head coach Jen Hyde said. "We've been playing against each other for long time, so now we can get back to doing what we do best."

Saturday's competition is the first in a handful of competitions that will segue into UH's more difficult opponents on the schedule. After playing McNeese, the Cougars will play at Lamar on Sunday, then head back home to face Texas State on Wednesday.

"These first few matches will be a chance to build some confidence before we have to play some of the harder opponents later on," Hyde said. "We want to have some momentum against (Texas Christian), Alabama and some of the other teams." 

The schedule for tennis is slightly different than basketball or volleyball, since the beginning of conference play doesn't signal the end of non-conference play. Matches against Alabama, Louisiana State and Texas A&M will be mixed in with contests against Texas Christian, Alabama-Birmingham and Louisville. 

The most pressing priority for the team is setting the doubles pairs for the coming season. Hyde said she is still tinkering with possible combinations and will decide on teams in the coming weeks. 

"First and foremost, we have to figure out who will play with whom," Hyde said. "Right now we're testing to see what teams have the most chemistry. Doubles play is so important to winning tournaments, we have to make sure our pairs are as good as they can be." 

Last semester, the Cougars came to rely on the trio of sophomore Miranda Foley, junior Biljana Dimovska and sophomore Yolandi Terblanche. Expect those three to pace the team again his spring. Junior Hanaa Rhazi will also be a key contributor. Rhazi won the "A"draw at the Florida State Invitational on Nov. 11. 

The spring is more about the team game than the fall," Hyde said. "Now it's about a team effort and players staying together to get it done."

Hyde said the team needs to focus on staying patient and playing within its limits. The next few tournaments will allow them to work on those things. 

"We're really stressing point production and playing high-percentage tennis," Hyde said. "We need to stay in points longer just be patient." 

The Cougars will return home for a competition against TSU on at 2 p.m. Wednesday. 

The goal for UH is to peak right around the time of the C-USA Championships in Louisville, Kent., which will begin March 15 and continue until March 19. The NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships will begin May 20 in Athens, Georgia. 

 Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu