Gators picked fifth in race for 2010 Skyline Conference Womens' Tennis Crown
Troy, NY--The Sage Colleges women’s tennis
team was picked to finish in fifth place in the 2010 Skyline
Conference by the league’s coaches in a pre-season poll. A
year ago, Sage posted a 9-4 record and earned a spot in the
league’s 2009 tournament.
Sage, which is under the direction of fourth-year head coach Cedric Gaddis, returns three letterwinners from last year’s team, but suffered the graduation loss of two-time Skyline Conference Player of the Year, Christina Gray (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), while another returning Skyline Conference All-Star, Erica Fitzgerald (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) has not returned to the lineup.
Sage’s senior captain Kathryn Saulsbery (Colonie, NY/Colonie Central) will lead the 2010 Gators and boasts a 20-17 career singles mark with the program, while standing at 22-18 in doubles action. A two-time team leader, Saulsbery will share captain duties with sophomore Mackenzie Riley (Albany, NY/Albany). Riley is a former three-sport competitor from Albany High School, where she excelled in tennis, bowling and outdoor track.
Ashley Brennan (Loudonville, NY/Colonie Central) is a three-year letter winner as well and brings experience to the lineup in her final season. She is joined by senior Lauren Schroder (Enfield, CT/Enrico Fermi) who is back after some time away due to academic conflicts. Schroder was voted Most Improved Player in 2008 after producing a 3-0 singles mark and a 1-1 record in limited doubles play with the squad.
Look for newcomer Octavia Gales (Rensselaer, NY/Rensselaer) to push for the top spot in the lineup after an outstanding scholastics career. Recipient of the team’s Most Valuable Player Award in high school, Gales possesses great speed and net play abilities.
Junior Briana Bixler (Highland, NY/Highland) returns for her junior season after an impressive sophomore campaign that saw her go 9-4 at fourth singles while also producing some key wins to lead the team to victories last fall. She is now 17-9 overall in singles play on her career, with a 7-8 career doubles mark.
Rookie Nicole Riley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) joins the squad and is a former three-sport athlete having excelled at Catskill High School, where she was both a team captain and the MVP of the tennis team. She helped the team to the conference title and a runner-up finish in sectional play. Mary Kate Hayward (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) is another newcomer that brings athletic ability to the Gators having starred scholastically in both tennis and lacrosse.
Sage will have to contend with 2009 Skyline Conference champions, Mount Saint Mary College, the 2010 pre-season favorites. The Knights went a perfect 17-0 last fall en route to the Skyline Conference championship, and was selected by the head coaches as the unanimous preseason favorite in women's tennis. The Knights received seven first-place votes and 49 points.
Picked second in the preseason poll last year, Mount Saint Mary used a combination of experience and talented youth to capture the Skyline championship and NCAA tournament bid. Freshman standout Gabriela Murphy-Goldberg stepped in at first singles, going 17-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play, earning Skyline Rookie of the Year honors. With Murphy-Goldberg and senior Lindsay Searle returning to the top two spots, head coach Lorraine Brady's Knights will be strong again this season.
St. Joseph's received 38 points, edging Bard for the second spot. The Golden Eagles have been a regular challenger for the conference title in recent years, but head coach Glenn Nathan will have to replace his top two players in the singles lineup with the graduation of Kelly Crawford at first singles and first team All-Skyline selection Danielle Rufrano at second singles. Terri Leonard, who went a combined 8-1 at second and third singles last season, returns after earning All-Skyline Conference second-team honors.
Bard, picked third with 33 points, captured the Skyline title in 2008 and advanced to the championship match last season before falling to Mount Saint Mary. The Raptors also have an experienced roster led by junior Sofia Commito, a two-time All-Skyline first-team selection. Head coach Fred Feldman will use the squad's depth to challenge the top teams in the conference again this season. Bard used 15 different players in dual match singles play last season.
SKYLINE CONFERENCE WOMEN’S TENNIS
2010 PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Mount Saint Mary (7) 49
2. St. Joseph's 38
3. Bard (1) 33
4. Farmingdale State 28
5. Sage 27
6. Purchase 24
7. Yeshiva 16
8. NYU-Poly 9
(first-place votes in parentheses)
