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2007-08
SEASON OUTLOOK
Fifth-year head coach Ralph Kwilosz welcomes back six players to what is certainly the most experienced team he has mentored in his tenure at St. Francis.
Three seniors – two of which have played all four years at USF – will lead that experienced group.
Laura Olson, who came to the Saints a year ago after playing two years at Waubonsee Community College, spent all of last season at No. 1 singles. Aleece Pickett was USF’s No. 2 singles player for all of 2006-07 and Vickie Strand played at the No. 5 slot for almost the entire year and led USF in singles victories with 12.
That trio of seniors is joined by three juniors, one sophomore and a pair of freshmen.
Olson started her USF career off with a bang, winning seven of her first eight matches and leading the Lady Saints to team wins in five of their first eight matches (5-2-1). Playing in the No. 1 position, Olson ran into increasingly stronger opposition as the season continued and finished the year 8-12 in singles. She also played regularly on doubles and was 7-12 for the year.
Pickett also started her junior year on a high note with victories in five of her first eight matches. She finished the year 8-12 in singles, all at the No. 2 spot.
Strand was the only USF player to reach double figures in singles victories and also was the lone Lady Saint with a winning singles record. She recorded a 12-9 mark, with a 9-7 ledger at the No. 5 position.
Kwilosz counts on these three for leadership, both on and off the court.
“We had no seniors two years ago and only one last year,” says Kwilosz, “so we have been a young team for quite a while. In fact, last year’s senior (Lynn Everman) only played in a few matches so we essentially played without a senior last season as well. That experience alone should make us a better team this season.”
The three juniors include a pair of veterans and one newcomer.
Beth Frey and Samantha Metcalf have played extensively since their freshman seasons and add much more experience to the Saints lineup. Frey finished just under .500 in singles as a sophomore, posting a 9-10 record with a 7-6 slate at No. 4. Metcalf was USF’s primary player at No. 6 singles and also narrowly missed the break-even point with a 5-6 mark in that slot and a 7-9 overall singles chart. Both also were regular doubles players for USF.
Kelly Pruett is the junior newcomer, a former prep tennis player at Morris High School.
Carla Braun was the lone freshman on the 2006-07 team and played almost exclusively doubles for the Lady Saints. She and a variety of partners finished 7-12 in doubles competition.
Corinne Lutz and Barb Koziol are the two new freshmen. Lutz, from nearby Minooka, should have an immediate impact on the 2007-08 team in both singles and doubles. Koziol is a late signee and will work her way into the Saints lineup as the fall season progresses.
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