Rock tennis secured a 9-0 win last weekend to kick-off the season when the team traveled to Westminster University, and looks to keep it rolling as they take seven players this weekend to compete in the ITA Atlantic Regional Championships in Erie, Pa. that runs from Sept. 16-18.
Head coach Matt Meredith enters his 20th season as head coach here for The Rock. He graduated for SRU back in 1992 while playing tennis for the Green and White.
“This year awesome,” Meredith said regarding entering his 20th season as head coach. “I’m really excited about this year. I’m thrilled with what we got coming in and I’m ecstatic in how they’ve been working.”
A young Rock team looks to improve upon their 9-11 record from last season, with sophomore Lacey Cohen who won Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West freshman of the year leads the charge. Last season Cohen went 13-13 in her rookie year, being part of The Rocks top flight of players.
“Lacey had a very good learning year,” Meredith said. “It’s tough playing one in our conference. We have some very good players, so she did very well for being a freshman and we are looking for her to expand upon that.”
This season the Green and White have four brand new faces to the team including three freshman and one sophomore transfer. The freshmen include Lauren Fadden, Amy Varckette, and Olivia Warner. Sophomore transfer Viola Lugmayr from Cameron University joins the team as well.
“She (Lugmayr) has unbelievable hands,” Meredith said. “She’s got some of the best volleys we’ve ever had here, shes got really good hands.”
Returning for The Rock are senior Carla Corrochano Moracho, sophomore Zoe McCafferty and junior Allie Welch. Meredith mentioned how Welch has been able to step up for the team at any point in recent years.
“Welch is a really good bull-pin player for us,” Meredith said. “Who steps in when we need her and has dominated when we need her. She can play anywhere in the line-up.”
Corrochano, The Rock’s only senior this year, and prior to her injury last year, she was PSAC first team every year player, Meredith said. She will be at the team’s number two seed behind the number one Cohen.
The Green and White won their first team match-up last weekend, and move into individual play for this weekend. After which The Rock will turn back to team play on Sept. 23 when the team goes on the road to visit West Liberty University. Meredith mentioned that this year’s team will be different from years past and for one reason only.
“The great thing about this team this year is we have unbelievable depth,” Meredith said. “As far as our freshmen go, our success will be based on how long they stay as freshmen. In other words, the more experience they get and no longer freshmen, the better this team will be.”
