May 11, 2009 (Final Entry)
Well, this will be my final blog of the season, and what a season it’s been!
We finished our NAIA matches at the AMC tournament with a loss against Ohio Dominican. While it was a bummer not to be able to advance any further in the tournament, we kept our heads up, knowing we still had more tennis to play.
After a rousing week of finals and graduation, we packed up our mini-vans and drove to Marion, Indiana to play in the NCCAA National Tournament. The level of play has grown significantly at that tournament in the past few years so we were expecting to face some tough competition. Because teams were split up into two pools, we had three opportunities to play matches. Our first two matches against Olivet Nazarene and Indiana Wesleyan ended with losses. Our third match against North Greenville was much closer and we were able to secure a few points before they beat us 5-3. In the end, our week in Indiana was a great opportunity to play tennis at the national level and spend a final week with our team.
Although we weren’t able to walk away with a championship banner, we managed (as we usually do) to walk away with millions of good memories. One such memory came out of our own stupidity. On the Tuesday before we left, while most of us were buried in our books trying to pass finals, Coach Dee was celebrating her birthday. We didn’t realize we had missed this special occasion until we were ready to drive away to Indiana. Coach Dee informed us that her license had expired on her birthday, and it was then that we realized our mistake.
Well, we tried to correct our error by throwing a great celebration in the Quality Inn (where we stayed for the week). So we bought some apple pies (her favorite birthday treat), candles, party plates, and balloons. On one particular night, we had the lobby of this hotel completely decked in birthday decor and ready for her grand entrance. Because she was busy running the tournament, however, she didn’t make it back until midnight. So we packed up our surprise party and saved it for the next night.
The following evening we set out our pies, pulled out the balloons from our hotel bathroom (where else would you store 40 balloons?) and waited for her to return, yet again. Well the second night proved to be a failure as well, as she had another late night at the tournament. So the pies went back in their boxes and the balloons were kicked back into storage.
The third night we didn’t care how late it got - we were going to throw this party. So we set everything up at 9:00 p.m. and proceeded to take naps until we received a call that she was on her way to the hotel. At around 11:30 we got the call and popped out of our beds just in time to yell surprise and sing “Happy Birthday.” She was certainly surprised, and we had accomplished our goal of redeeming ourselves. While Coach Dee isn’t known for being a night owl (she usually goes to bed around 9:00) I think she appreciated our effort. We ended up eating birthday pie the next morning before heading home.
So what can you take away from all of this? (1) We had a good long season filled with great tennis. (2) The memories we make with each other are just as valuable (if not more) than our tennis record (3) We give 100% when it comes to our sport as well as midnight birthday parties.
So thanks for reading! We certainly appreciated your support! Check back next season for the tennis adventures of 2010!
April 27, 2009
Our regular season has officially ended and now we’re focused on all of the post-season tennis we have yet to play. We faced two tough conference teams earlier in the week, and although we lost to both ODU and UNOH, we still managed to secure the fourth position in the AMC tournament.
At the beginning of the season, one of our goals was to make it to the conference tournament, and because we won a few key matches, we did just that. We’re hosting the tournament at the end of this week, so we’re all really excited to play our best and see what we're able to accomplish.
The other goal we had at the beginning of the season was to make it to NCCAA Nationals. We managed to do this as well, so after we finish our finals this week (and a couple of us receive diplomas!) we will pack up our rackets and head for Indiana Wesleyan to play in the tournament. Nationals always guarantees stiff competition which is both exciting and scary. No matter the results, we’re ready to keep playing and enjoy the experience!
April 20, 2009
As the semester winds down, we find ourselves facing numerous tests, projects, papers, and some of our most challenging tennis matches yet.
We have yet to play two more conference matches, which will determine our position in the AMC tournament at the end of this month. I’m sure that facing Ohio Dominican and the University of Northwestern Ohio on Monday and Tuesday of this week will bring about some interesting results, so stay tuned!
This past week we played Marian College from Indiana. We were well matched, which made for one of the closest scores of the season. We ended up losing 5-4 but not before a few singles matches went to three sets. Playing competitors who are similar to our level can often be one of the biggest challenges simply because we must find a way to rise up and beat them. We were able to take away some key lessons, which we hope to apply in future matches.
Even though the semester is growing more and more hectic, the tennis team is ready to stay strong and fight hard in the remainder of the season.
Thanks for reading, and make sure you check back for the results of our upcoming matches!
April 15, 2009
This past week in tennis was cut short due to Easter break. Before heading home to celebrate the holiday, the tennis team participated in the campus-wide Easter egg hunt. Last Wednesday morning we all set our alarms at 5:45 a.m. in order to be out the door and on the prowl for plastic eggs hidden all over campus at 6:00. Wanting to maximize our success, the night before we had a team meeting and discussed strategies on how we should divide and conquer. We mulled over the best way to approach the egg hunt, and how we could save time and conserve energy. With all the planning we did, we were ready. So that morning, we burst out of the dorms ready to win.
Now that I think about it, we probably looked ridiculous. After all, we were a bunch of girls wildly sprinting around campus and searching in every little crevasse. It was as if the eggs were filled with one hundred dollar bills and diamond rings. (We found out later, that was not the case.) Anyway, after all the intense preparation we did and the dedication we had toward the hunt, we only found three eggs! Three! How that was possible considering there were over 2,000 eggs hidden is beyond me. At least we got six pieces of candy out of the deal.
We learned two things from the experience. First was that if we want something bad enough, we will work hard to get it. Secondly, we are much better with a racket in our hand in the middle of the day than we are with a flashlight early in the morning.
Now on to the tennis part of this entry. On the Monday after Easter, we were back on campus ready to face Walsh in a conference match. We ended up playing at the Springfield Racquet Club due to inclement weather. Everyone went out hungry for a win, but we came up short with an 8-1 loss. Sarah Andersen and I scored the lone point in doubles with a 9-8 win after a 7-4 tiebreaker. Georgiann and Carissa also had close matches that ended with tiebreakers.
We learned a lot by playing against Walsh and will be ready to face them again in the AMC tournament at the end of this month. We still have two more conference matches to go, so things will continue to heat up over the next week. Our next match will be this Friday at home against Marian. Stay tuned for the results!
April 6, 2009
What a week it’s been for Cedarville women's tennis! We had three days of practice at the start of the week, which prepared us for the three conference matches we would play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
On Thursday we came out with a convincing 9-0 win against Shawnee State. It was an exciting day, and it was really fun to see everyone’s hard work pay off. That match gave us an extra boost to push through the next two matches which we excepted to be a bit more challenging.
On Friday we made the trip up to Canton, Ohio to play Malone. It was a rainy day so we ended up on indoor courts at the Hall of Fame Fitness Center. The actual courts had a faster surface and were filled with dead spots. This meant that we had to be on our toes because the ball would travel much faster. Fortunately, all of our tennis practice in the field house earlier in the year paid off and we were able to adjust rather quickly. We ended up winning the match with a score of 6-3. After some delicious brownies from Carissa Parmerlee's parents and dinner at an Amish restaurant, we headed home.
The next morning we were up early and on the courts by 10 a.m. By this point we were pretty tired from our long trip the day before and the amount of tennis we had already played during the week. But as Roberts Wesleyan made their way onto our home turf, we were ready to fight for a win for the third time in a week. We started off with a bang by sweeping doubles (something we had done in our two previous matches as well). This gave us momentum to play strong through our remaining six singles matches. We won in the top three positions as well as a #6 win from Sarah Andersen.
I must break for a moment and tell you about a funny moment that occurred during Joy’s match. Here is Joy’s description of the occurrence: “Well my girl and I were in the middle of this super-intense game, and she walked up to the line and, instead of saying the score, accidentally says ‘Hello?’ It was kind of a classic moment! Everyone in the stands started cracking up and so did she.” I was told later by a reliable source that Joy never even broke a smile despite the clearly funny circumstance. I am amazed at the intensity and concentration that girl has.
Back to tennis. We beat Roberts Wesleyan with a score of 7-2, and thus concluded our week of marathon matches.
Being undefeated in our conference is a good thing, but we still have a few tough matches ahead. On Monday, April 13 we face Walsh University - a team that is notorious for challenging us in our level of play. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!
March 30, 2009
After a few days of tennis practice during the week, we hit the road on Friday to play a couple matches in Pennsylvania. Our action-packed weekend got off to a slightly disastrous start. Friday morning, we were all packed and ready for a road trip when we found out that our charter bus had broken down en route to Cedarville. We were informed that they would send a replacement within the next hour, so instead of waiting around, we did what every other committed tennis player would do - we went to class.
So, our entire team (minus Joy who was responsible enough to go to her own class) piled into Urban Ministry with Dr. Cook. After class, we were expecting our bus to come rolling in, ready to pick us up, but instead found out that it would be yet another hour before they would arrive. So not wanting to be late and not wanting to forfeit a conference match, Coach Dee acted fast. She managed to get us two university vans so we could drive ourselves. We quickly piled into the vans and sped away toward PA.
After only one stop for gas (a feat for twelve women traveling on the road), we arrived at the indoor tennis courts only 40 minutes late. The Carlow team was gracious enough to wait for us. You would think that a jumbled start to the day, sitting in the car for four-plus hours, and having no time to warm-up would mean a rough start to the match. That was not the case, as everyone adjusted quickly and played well. We swept doubles and singles giving us a match score of 9-0. I was especially impressed with Lauren, Kristina (aka K-Hrab), and Cindy (aka Shorty) as each of them stepped into the line-up. They played well and contributed to our win.
Afterwards, we headed to our hotel, stuffed our faces at Hoss’s, and headed to bed. Actually, in our room (the two seniors with the two freshmen), bed came only after a little homework, an episode of What Not To Wear, and a pillow fight won by the seniors.
The next morning we woke up ready to face Grove City in a non-conference match. We started with doubles first, and while all three teams fought for each point, they ended up beating us across the board. Singles was played next and only Joy and Georgiann came out on top. Joy won her match in two sets. Georgiann, after losing the first set, came back to win the next two. Using a term that was basically coined by 2008 alumni Alisa Rutt, Georgiann’s match was an all-out battle. While we lost the match overall, it was a good opportunity to play a strong team and it emphasized what we still need to work on.
This coming week will bring three more opportunities to make adjustments in our games. We will play three conference matches in a row. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say after that, so stay tuned!
March 23, 2009
This week was somewhat bittersweet for women’s tennis. On the tennis side of things, we started out the week with a tough loss last Monday against the Cumberlands (the bitter part). Although losing is never fun, our first match revealed weaknesses that we had to work on in our game. So in practice last week we set out to correct our mistakes. We hit zillions of tennis balls (a Coach Dee term) and focused on strategies that will win us points.
Our hard work made us determined to win on Saturday when we faced Marietta. We did just that (the sweet part) with a score of 7-2. Sarah Andersen and I were especially excited because we each posted our first singles win of the year! (Only a little pathetic, we know.) Everyone else played well which allowed us to bring home our second win of the season.
There was also a bittersweet moment this week that was really only bitter for Lauren, our dear freshman teammate. Friday night Lauren suffered the result of some upperclassmen “boredom.” She came back to her room exhausted and ready to go to bed when she discovered that everything in her room (right down to her dirty laundry) had been covered in plastic wrap. So Lauren, I want you to know that I’m sorry we couldn't come up with anything better to do that night…we love you dearly.
Now back to the tennis part of this blog. We have a lot of matches coming up over the next few weeks including a couple in Pittsburgh this coming weekend. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the tennis (and freshman hazing) happenings!
March 16, 2009
This past week in tennis allowed our team to experience a number of different playing situations. Monday was a beautiful day for outdoor tennis, Tuesday we were reminded of just how strong Cedarville winds could be, Wednesday and Thursday we practiced on our much faster indoor courts, and Friday we were back outside in the sun. After a week of working on our strokes in various conditions, we were ready for whatever our Saturday match would bring.
It turned out that we would be dealing with frigid temperatures in the early morning of match day. At the start of our match against Wilmington, our team was eager to achieve the first win of the season. Doubles was played first and all Cedarville pairings came out strong. The combinations of first and second doubles had been switched up earlier in the week, but the girls adjusted quickly and managed to play well together. We swept doubles and went into singles with a match score of 3-0.
Three other victories were posted at the top three singles positions. Joy Kellogg, Georgiann McClure, and Carissa Parmerlee each won their matches. I was especially impressed with Joy who, after fighting a nasty illness all week, won her match 6-0, 6-0.
Cedarville walked away with a score of 6-3 and a confidence that will hopefully carry us through the rest of the season. We are expecting to work hard, and we are ready to face the challenges that lay ahead of us. Win or lose, we want to play for God’s glory.
On Monday, March 16 we will play our second home match of the season against the University of the Cumberlands. Stay tuned for the results!
March 9, 2009
Well, we arrived back to Cedarville after a week in Florida with improved tennis skills, truckloads of memories, and subtly darker skin tones.
Although we came back exhausted and dreading the reality of catching up on schoolwork, we were all extremely grateful for such a wonderful spring break.
Practices at the beginning of the week allowed us to develop an initial line-up for our first match of the season. On Wednesday we faced Southeastern University. Not knowing anything about their level of play left us unsure about what we were going to face but we were determined to do our best. Doubles matches were played first. The two and three doubles teams managed to score two points for Cedarville. Singles was a bit more of a challenge with only Joy Kellogg and Rachel Arthur pulling out wins. We ended up losing the match by a score of 5-4, but left with our heads up knowing that we had just played one of the stronger teams we will face this season.
On Thursday, a day that had been highly anticipated nearly all year, we headed to Hollywood Studios at Disney World. Our beloved Coach Dee made the day possible so much thanks goes to her. Grandpa Strayhorn (who works at the park) provided a few park tickets, as well as “fast pass” tickets and VIP seating in a couple of the shows. As payment for his services, Cindy Hoke (aka Shorty), Lauren Williams, and I had to participate in the Indiana Jones show. It provided the team with a couple of laughs and solidified the notion that I do NOT have a career in acting.
Anyway, the day managed to fly by and we were all ready to collapse after hours of laughter and gallivanting through the park. (At the end of the day we ate dinner at Fazoli’s. I would like to thank two alumni for providing me with a gift card that has been sitting in my wallet for two years. Betsy Verwys and Laura McCully: I downed yet another lasagna. Thank you.
Friday afternoon, after squeezing in some last minute Florida fun, we started the drive back to Cedarville. Reflecting on our week, our team agreed that we are hugely blessed. We are so grateful that we were able to enjoy each other’s company for a week and were able to play a sport we love in such a beautiful place.
Next up for women's tennis: a home match on March 14th against Wilmington College. I'll be back next week with a full report!
March 2, 2009
Our spring break is well underway in sunny Florida and the tennis playing has begun! I am currently writing from our lovely hotel accommodations while the rest of the team is out by the pool taking advantage of our short break in between practices. (Just goes to show you how dedicated I am as a blogger!)
Yesterday after church (shout out to First Baptist Church of Sanlando Springs!) we grabbed some lunch and headed out to the courts for our first practice of the week. We played a few doubles challenge matches and adjusted to outdoor tennis. More doubles will be played throughout the week as we are trying to find the best combination for a third doubles team.
We headed out to the courts early Monday morning and started various singles challenge matches. It’s too early to tell who will take up each position on the ladder, but everyone is showing a great attitude and willingness to play hard. It’s difficult competing against your teammate, however the unity and togetherness that our team had demonstrated off the court is allowing us to push through this hard part of the season.
I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the happenings throughout the week. For now, we’re headed off to the second practice of the day! Thanks for reading!
Feb. 23, 2009
As the whole of our tennis season lies before us, our team is excited for the next couple of months. We’ve been conditioning and practicing since the beginning of January and we are all eager to get outside and start competing. Our time on the indoor courts has been beneficial as we’ve been drilling and working on specific points of play.
At the end of this week we will be heading down to Orlando, Florida where we will work on our tans (or sunburns) and continue our spring training. We will also begin the intra-team challenge matches that will determine our line-up. Having graduated three strong players last year, there are many decisions that need to be made concerning the ladder but we are excited for the possibilities that this year’s team could bring.
Spring break trips are not only a good time to play a lot of tennis but we always manage to squeeze in some quality team bonding. We’re planning on going to Disney World for a day and hanging out with Mickey and his posse. We will also be taking advantage of our hotel pool. Our team is so grateful for the opportunity not only to do fun things that aren’t tennis related, but also to travel to awesome places beyond the corn fields of Ohio.
Our season officially begins on March 4th when we’ll face Southeastern University in Orlando. Be sure to stay tuned for the outcome! No matter what, we’re ready to work hard over the next couple of months and hopefully bring home a few wins. More importantly, we're eager to use this sport to humbly serve Christ and connect with other tennis players.
Anna Strayhorn is a senior graphic design major from Falmouth, Maine. The Dean's List student, who is in her fourth season with the Lady Jacket tennis program, is an NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
