The Journal

Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jamie Ford Sophomore Raquel Rothermel serves during a March 31 match at Webster Groves Recreational Center.

Media Credit: max Gersh Freshman Roth Rothermel returns a backhand March 31 against Westminster College.

It took Mother Nature to accomplish what nobody else has been able to do for the 2007 season: stop the women's tennis team thus far.


After starting the season 3-0, the Gorloks put their flawless record on the line March 31 in a pair of matches against 2006 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rivals Westminster College and Eureka College at the Webster Groves Recreational Center.


Entering the match against defending SLIAC champion Westminster, Head Coach Mike Siener was confident his team would remain undefeated if it played the way it had the first three matches.


The team did. Webster beat Westminster in grand fashion 9-0.


"We're all out to win," freshman Kelsey O'Keefe said. "That's what we've been doing so far."


While the Gorloks' fast start has been a team effort, Siener credited O'Keefe for being a big factor at the No. 3 position. O'Keefe has won seven of her first eight matches to start the spring season, including all four of her singles matches.


"She's doing really nice at the 3 spot," Siener said. "She's winning her singles matches and convincingly. She's going to be a really good player in the conference for the next four years."


O'Keefe attributes her success to determination and hard work.


"I've been staying positive and working hard on and off the court," O'Keefe said.


O'Keefe and the Gorloks didn't have the chance to add a fifth victory to their torrid start. Before the team took the court for its tilt against Eureka, rain postponed the match - which has been tentatively rescheduled for April 7. The rainout proved to be the weekend's only letdown for Webster.


"I was a little disappointed we didn't get that Eureka match in," Siener said.


Playing Eureka would have given the Gorloks an opportunity to start 5-0, since Eureka only has four players on the roster. The team automatically forfeits two singles matches and one doubles match because of the small roster, allowing all of Eureka's opponents start the match with a 3-0 cushion.


"Eureka is behind the 8-ball a bit," Siener said.


The postponement will force the Gorloks to attempt to pick up their fifth consecutive victory to start the season against the Principia Panthers at the Webster Groves Recreational Center. Principia has won 12 of the last 15 SLIAC titles, including a string of 11 straight titles from 1995 through 2005. The Panthers are led by senior Kathryn Pomeroy, who was the SLIAC Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006.


"The match will probably feature the top two teams (Webster and Principia) in the conference," Siener said. "I'm excited for that match. We'll see how it plays out."


Captain and sophomore Laila Wessel said the team is brewing with confidence entering its match against Principia. Wessel believes other SLIAC teams are beginning to view the Gorloks as a serious threat.


"Teams should look at us as a team to beat," Wessel said. "That's a great position to be in going into this match."


Men's Tennis


Looking to rebound from the 9-0 whitewash suffered at the hands of Maryville University, the men's tennis team also challenged Westminster and Eureka March 31 at Webster Groves Recreational Center.


The Gorloks' first match of the day against Westminster was similar to the match against Maryville. Webster was pounded 8-1.


"It's tough playing the best two teams (Maryville and Westminster) in the conference to start the season," Head Coach Mike Siener said. "We are a ways away from competing against them."


Team Captain and junior Zach Mangelsdorf said the losses are a learning experience for the team.


"I think we should take those first two losses (against Maryville and Westminster) as a wake-up experience," Manglesdorf said. "We saw what we are up against."


The team was able to rebound in its second match, beating Eureka 6-3 for the first victory of the season.


"I like the way we competed versus Eureka," Siener said. "I'm encouraged."


Leading the way for the Gorloks was junior Mark Sherman. Sherman registered the team's only point in the loss to Westminster and won his singles and doubles matches against Eureka.


"He's continuing to improve and get better," Siener said about Sherman. "He's playing well."


Siener said he hopes the victory against Eureka is a sign of better things to come. The Gorloks have an upcoming schedule against teams Webster stacks up well against. The team will face Principia April 4 and Blackburn April 6.


"This could be a big week," Siener said. "We could get two or three wins."


However, if the Gorloks are going to get on the winning streak, they are going to have to work on their consistency.


"Right now, we're making more mistakes than the other team," Seiner said.

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