Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Whitties Demonstrate Toughness in California

Hello all,

I put up a quick post on facebook about our Spring Break trip and will provide some more details here.  I don't have photos, as I didn't bring a camera but will hopefully get some from parents and players and start posting them on our flickr page and facebook soon.

Coming into the season with a team that achieved so much last year, gaining our first national ranking in years and NCAA tournament win in program history, we could have been satisfied, but we chose to test ourselves.  The players wanted as many tough matches as we could get to show everyone what we know we're capable of and by playing 3 top 15 teams, a top 30 team who could be in the top 15 and an unranked team that is capable of beating top 30 teams; this was certainly the challenge we wanted.  We came away from this trip with so many great memories, so much to be proud of and still a lot to learn from going forward.

As I wrote, our trip in Southern California was amazing.  Great weather, awesome competition and wonderful family and friend support led to a ton of fun, a solid win over regionally ranked UT Tyler and a huge win over #13 Trinity.  As we transitioned to NorCal, new rankings came out with Redlands at #13, Trinity at #14 and us and UCSC remaining at #27 and #28 as little had happened through Sunday which was the ranking cutoff date, except Redlands beat Trinity.

In Santa Cruz, the Slugs were fired up to get back at us for beating them at NCAA's last year and in Walla Walla in February.  The doubles were great with all three tightly contested and the quality of doubles was terrific.  Unfortunately, after positive starts, we dropped close matches at 2 and 3 and were down 4-7 at #1.  Things looked bleak before Alyssa and Courtney showed what they can do with a huge comeback to get to a tie break where they had a match point before losing.  Being down 3-0 can be a terrible feeling, but the belief was high in ourselves as we entered singles and every match was a battle.  Courtney and Alyssa scored big wins at the top, but UCSC stepped up everywhere else to take the match 7-2.

The next day was our last day of the trip and just like a week ago, we had lost to a great team and then got to play the #13 team in the country.  Unlike the Trinity match where we were terrific in doubles, we came out with good energy but just misfiring too often against very solid teams at #1 and #2.  At #3, Katrina and Kate showed amazing fight after being down a break to get it back and force a tie break.  This was the kind of moment we needed as our freshmen stepped up with big tennis to win the match and get us on the board down 1-2 after doubles.

In singles, our top 3 were so resolved and all won their first sets.  As #4-6 were all matched up against very tough opponents, we knew it would be hard to pull one out.  Kate KP and Jenna both battled super hard in each set but dropped straight set matches, though I loved seeing Jenna hit her shots and play her game more and more as she develops into consistently being the player I know she is.  #5 was perhaps one of Redlands' best spots and Rubes played her tennis in spurts, but couldn't quite keep the score close to allow herself a chance to gain control of the momentum. Rubes had an awesome Spring break and while she too is learning to maintain her level consistently, her growth as a player has been phenomenal and she has the promise to keep getting better and better. After straight set losses at 4-6, we were down 5-1 before Courtney won a 10 point tie break by a 10-1 score showing her fitness at the end of a long week, Alyssa won 4 and 4 with a huge running forehand passing shot on match point and Morgan also gutted out a 10 point tie break win where her mental toughness and ability to stick with her game earned her the Whittie of the Match from Em and I.

Certainly there is always disappointment in a 5-4 loss, but not only on this day, but throughout the week, we showed that our foundation of teamwork, support, fitness and great tennis can not just play with but earn wins against this level of national competition.  We also learned a ton about specific things to improve upon and will head home after a much deserved week off this week. Yes, Whitman has a 2 week break so we get to play all these matches and give the team a break which is so important.  I know the next time we face teams of this level we will be improved at every spot because that is the character of this team.  We also have more depth than ever and teamwork and support are just the beginning of what HP, Liv and Maggie provided this week.  Hannah has worked really hard to come back from her fall abroad and with such a strong group of first year players she has been diligent and patient with herself as she not only gets her game back but keeps improvin .   Liv and Mags also played some of their best tennis which will keep our practices productive and competitive and make us better each day and I can't say enough about the guidance, leadership and coaching that Emily is providing, thanks Em!

It's hardly been any time off, but I can't wait to get back to work next week and to reconnect with all of these outstanding young women.  Some people have asked how it is to spend 9 days on the road with the team, and I can only say that it couldn't have been more fun to be a part of this team, to compete with such amazing athletes and to spend time with such wonderful people.  I'm loving it!

Thanks so much to Derry for helping at Redlands as well as all of the Whitman students and friends of our team who came out to watch everywhere we went.  The family thing we have going was also reflected in our amazing team families who came out every match.  It was so special to see you all and share this great week of tennis and fun with you.

-John

Friday, March 15, 2013

WC Spring Break Part 1

Well, if I waited until the end of the week, I'd probably both leave out a ton of cool stuff and also have to write a lot.  So, I'll try and cover part 1 of our break and get you primed for this weekend.

Actually, we had a three part trip, so lots of travel which has been more fun than my scientific writing background can properly express.  We had a great weekend in Portland where the Rubinstein's treated us to an awesome pre match dinner (by the way, if you are into model trains or cars, you NEED to become fast friends with them and get an invite to see Rick's collections!).  This definitely got us ready as we swept George Fox and Pacific and on a beautiful day everyone got to play against George Fox.  Our depth showed as we won 10 singles matches and 5 doubles (counting and exhibitions combined)!

Then, it was sleep and an early plane flight to SoCal.  Again, we immediately enjoyed some family time as we flew into Long Beach and were close enough to have some time with the Websters.  As a coach in my 5th year, seeing not just the players come together, but how close our tennis family gets with our family families is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

Still, we were there to play tennis and started our trip with the #3 team from the Central region, Washington University in St. Louis.  As with Fox, it was super positive to be playing 5 doubles and 9 singles matches.  Thanks to Coach Kelly and Wash U for such a great start to the trip. Wash U came in ranked #12 in the country and we learned two things from this match.  1) you can't let a top team have too many chances or they are likely to take the match from you, which they did as they earned every bit of their 7-2 victory, and 2) we're not "on our way" to belonging with the best teams in the country, we are here as we felt this match could have easily fallen our way despite the scoreline.

So, the next day with those things in mind and the memory of a 4-5 loss last year that the team remembers as the kind of atmosphere, support and intensity that college tennis should always be like, we took to 4 courts at Pomona Pitzer to play Trinity (TX).  Like last year, we got up in doubles with strong wins at 1 and 2.  Alyssa and Courtney were battling hard with a team they've played a couple times and were just pulling away 7-5 when TU sophomore star Mackenzie Knoop re-injured an old injury and retired.  We had already won at 2 with Morgan and Maddy showing the same fight and teamwork they displayed in winning vs Wash U.  Again, like last year, #3 was close and TU pulled it out.  This time, after being down 2 breaks, Katrina and Rubes regained the momentum and forced a tie break which was close until the Trinity player hit two huge first serves to win the match.  In singles, on four courts, the atmosphere was again great with players from both sides cheering their teammates on.  Morgan kept us going at 3 with a very businesslike straight sets win.  Alyssa followed suit to extend the lead. Her leadership on and off court has been brilliant this  year, a significant step up from last year when she was about as good as you can get.  At #4, Jenna had a tough match where she just wasn't finding her shots, but those days happen in tennis and her attitude is possibly the most positive I've ever seen, so with her work ethic and talent this will no doubt be something she grows from.  These matches took quite a while and as the day wore on, with Rubes in control up a set 6-2 at #5 and KKP just starting at #6 on serve 2-2, Courtney stepped on the gas after a battle in the first set to clinch the match and give us our first top 15 win in my career, and in as long as I can find records for at Whitman.  A total team effort, everyone was doing their jobs and the preparation was outstanding.  I couldn't be more proud of how together our team is.

Still, I was a bit nervous about how we would react after a great win.  Were we spent from these matches or would we overlook UT Tyler who we are ranked above, but is a very good team that we had a battle with last year?  The answer was neither as we took care of business sweeping the doubles.  Then, our top half singles went to work and all scored quick victories.  The match was decided pretty quickly, but throughout singles, you could hear the team cheering each other on as.  Then, with 5 and 6 left and both up a set, KKP was forced into a super tie break for the third.  She fought bravely and came up just short.  So, the last match was Rubes and it was a good one.  Apparently, her opponent had played a marathon match the day before to clinch a win for UTT and she was at it again, extending points longer and longer and just not missing balls.  Kate stayed focused, imposed her game and showed an incredible amount of physical and mental toughness to take the match and extend the score to 7-2.

Our transition to the weekend ahead (UCSC and Redlands in Santa Cruz), was a drive out to the desert for the night session at the BNP Paribas pro tournament at Indian Wells.  It was unbelievable to watch in person in one day Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.  On the women's side we all got down close for a late night encounter between Sara Errani and Maria Sharapova as well as men's and ladies doubles.

Our recovery from playing and spectating was aided by the Webster's, what hosts!  We were fed, housed and go a boat tour of Long Beach!  How much fun are we having?

Apparently, we can have more because Saturday at 3pm we play UCSC at the East fieldhouse courts and Sunday we take on Redlands at 10am also at UCSC on the East courts.

These matches are a great opportunity as we've beaten UCSC once, but they are looking really strong lately and Redlands has been on a tear which moved them from #22 to #13 in the country.

More to come after the weekend....


John

Friday, March 8, 2013

Spring Break Preview

So, classes are done, spring break is here and as everyone scrambled to finish papers, midterms and pack, we are now on the road.  Our men's team has often used the 2 week Whitman Spring Break to play a bunch of road conference matches in Portland, then fly somewhere for more matches.  We've always taken a week off which is something I never imagined when I was a player, but with how hard this team works on the court and in the classroom and with the length of the college tennis season, a week off has always had us enjoying our trip and hungry to come home and finish the season strong.

Here are some updated match times along with the new national rankings.  We crept up 2 spots to #27 on the strength of UC Santa Cruz's wins and now we've got our sights set on a great day of NWC matches and the opportunity to play some of the best teams in the West and the country.

Sat 3/9
10am vs George Fox in Newberg, OR
4pm vs Pacific University in Forest Grove OR

Mon 3/11
11am vs #12 Washington University of St. Louis at the Claremont Tennis Club, Claremont, CA

Tues 3/12
10am vs #13 Trinity (TX) at Pomona Pitzer colleges 1st street courts, the Rogers courts.

Wed 3/13
9am vs UT Tyler at Claremont Mudd Scripps (lower courts)
*Then we're off to watch pro tennis at Indian Wells with the BNP Paribas Open

Sat 3/16
3pm vs #28 UC Santa Cruz, east fieldhouse courts

Sun 3/17
10am vs #22 Redlands University at UC Santa Cruz east courts

We're super excited to see some friends and families on the road this week, and if today was any indication, it's going to continue to be an amazing trip as the Rubinstein's got us started off with an amazing dinner and fun evening - thank you so much Jill, Rick and Jenny!

you can follow matches on twitter @coachhein and we'll call in scores so that the Whitman website can be updated.

John

Monday, March 4, 2013

What a Weekend

With a home heavy schedule this year, the team has really enjoyed having more time on campus in front of the Whitman Community.  So, as we prepared for a whirlwind journey through the state of Washington with three matches in 2 days, there was a lot of excitement last week. 

The trip started with a 10am match at Whitworth in Spokane.  The Pirates are a great team, they always compete with class and through all the battles we've had with them, it's always an intense but positive experience.  Saturday was no different as a small traveling squad (for us) of 7 took to the 3 courts in the bubble for doubles.  I was looking to mix up our lineups both to reward everyone who is working so hard and improving so much with opportunities, and also to make sure we're not overworked oncourt or overwhelmed by school heading into our big spring break trip in a week.  In doubles, Morgan and Jenna set the tone with a big win to start us off at #2.  At #3, Maddy and Katrina struggled to find consistency and their opponents made them pay so it was up to Alyssa and Courtney to give us the lead.  They looked comfortable at #1, but a big fight from the Pirates made it close before we secured the 8-6 win.  In singles, we split up to use the three bubbled courts and three outdoor courts as the sun had warmed things up.  Courtney, Alyssa and Morgan were rock solid inside with only Morgan having to battle to win a second set tie break.  Outside, Jenna continued the run of singles wins, putting us up 6-1.  Maddy at 5 and Katrina in her first top 6 singles match at 6 both struggled with frustrating opponents and a huge slow down of speed from inside to outside.  Each lost a close, hard fought match which certainly was disappointing but how they carried themselves was so positive.  It was a tough day for those two, but showing their outstanding character, they gave credit to their opponents who really earned the wins and then they let their teammates support them in preparing for the next step.  The match was fast enough to get us on the road and to Tacoma in time to watch the live stream of our Whit Women's basketball team win the second round of NCAA's to move on to the sweet 16!!!!!

The UPS match on paper looked like an interesting one.  They are such a deep team in singles that I was so excited to get great matches for so many people.  True enough, after sweeping doubles and playing well in a close exhibition loss at #4 (Liv and Erin).  So, up 3-0, wanting to get more players in the lineup, I pulled Alyssa and everyone moved up.  Courtney took care of business at #1, Morgan played a marathon first three games, but came out on top with a straight set win at #2 and it was Jenna's turn to have an off day in singles at #3 so we had clinched the match 5-1.  At the same time, in three close first sets at 4-6, Rubes was down a set but rolling in the second 3-0, Erin was down a set but again trading close games in a VERY well played #5 match and Liv was up a set, taking the tiebreak and also trading close games in the second.  Erin's opponent came up with some great shots at key times, but I was proud of Erin's consistency and mentality, it was a great day for her tennis and a fun match.  Liv continued to play really well, but as her opponent raised her level the match fell to UPS in a third set tie break.  Liv's three setter and Rubes' match were very different.  While Liv battled it out in a match where there weren't many tactical changes, just who would execute, Rubes faced a player who she figured out after the first set, won the second 6-0, then the style changed again and it was a mental and physical battle in the third.  At 4-4, playing really well and gaining momentum, the UPS player hit a couple of lines to go up 5-4 and then was able to finish the match 6-4.  If this is any indication, we'll see continued development and great things from our younger Kate.  In exhibitions, Katrina turned the corner from her close match at Whitworth, winning in a tie break and Maggie played some of the best tennis, if not the best of the season, using her improved forehand to dictate points off her serve.  Unfortunately, she didn't quite figure out her opponent's big serve and lost the proset, but it was a great match for Mags.

With some lunch in the sun watching the Whitman Baseball team playing UPS, we then crossed town to play PLU.  With a different doubles lineup, the Kate's played with tremendous energy at 3 and the twins took care of business at 1 against a very good team of two freshmen and Liv and Mags pulled out a solid win at #4.  Court 2 was back and forth the whole match, with neither team getting more than a one game lead.  On serve late, KKP and Maddy held for 7-7 before a strong PLU hold and a break for the match.  As with UPS, this is the type of match we need to be in and it was great to feel the energy of a close college doubles match.  Singles was more one sided than in the morning with Courtney and Alyssa leading the way.  Morgan rested so Jenna played #3 and was up to the challenge, bouncing back from the am with a solid win.  Maddy's match at #4 looked routine after a 6-0 first set, but we all know in tennis anything can happen and after an amazing back and forth second set with both players getting more consistent and still hitting big shots, the match went to a long super tie break which Maddy pulled out 13-11!  What a mental battle for the sophomore and a great indicator of her toughness.  We also got solid wins from KKP at 5 and Rubes at 6.  Katrina played #8 and rolled in her proset using her serve and offense to create forced errors.  Liv was battling back and forth in a tight proset at 7 before getting a bad blister taped, then cruising in the remaining games for the singles sweep on the road!

It was a ton of tennis, a lot of driving to go both places in a weekend and we missed Hannah who was invited to an environmental law conference in Eugene, OR, but we had a wonderful time and in the van pulling into Walla Walla late at night there was much chatter of how excited everyone is for spring break.  We'll practice hard this week and have another double header on the road this Saturday in Portland before taking on Wash U (St. Louis) a week from today Monday 3/11 at the Claremont Tennis Club in Claremont, CA.

Thanks so much Rosemary and Frank for lunch, and to Layne and Mary for cheering at Whitworth as well as Dena, Jen, coach Dhavan, the Kunkel clan and Alyssa's westside family for being at the matches in Tacoma.  We're a well loved group and we APPRECIATE IT!

Next up from me will be this week's ITA national team rankings and a preview of our Spring Break trip.

Coach John

Friday, March 1, 2013

Whit Weekend Preview - Road Tripping in Washington

Hello friends,

After an amazing homestand in February to start the season, we'll hit the road tonight to get ready for three big conference matches this weekend.

Tomorrow (Sat) at 10am, we play at Whitworth.  They've won 3 of the last 4 NWC titles and graduated some key players but have a tough team with youth and experience that we're excited to take on.  If you're in Spokane, come on by and cheer us on!

After the match, we'll cross the pass to the West Side of WA.  Then, it's a back to back tilt with a very deep UPS team at their courts at 9am.  We'll cross town to Sprinker Tennis Club to do battle with Pacific Lutheran at 2pm.  PLU is currently leading the NWC with a 4-0 record including a huge win over Linfield.

We are playing these matches to save trips around the conference, leaving more time for school, and doubling up let's us play more top ranked teams on Spring Break.  Unfortunately, with the travel schedule, we won't have time for a friends/families/alum get together so we hope to see you at the matches and we can all catch up and have a great time with some intense tennis then!

Next week, we have a quick trip to Portland for a back to back against George Fox and Pacific before flying down to California for Spring break.  If you're in the Portland area, get in touch via email or facebook so we know you're coming!

You can follow the weekend on twitter @coachhein

Go Whitman!