Troy women’s tennis riding 10-match win streak
Published 10:42 pm Monday, April 1, 2013
The Troy women’s tennis team has been white-hot lately. The squad has won 10 straight matches and has its eyes set squarely on a Sun Belt championship run.
Troy may not have been on many radars entering the season, but the Trojans have proven that they are a formidable foe and one to watch when the Sun Belt Conference Championships roll around on April 18.
“We’re on a good roll now, we’re finally healthy and that makes a big difference,” Troy head coach Eric Hayes said. “It’s going to come down to how we finish. We still have (Middle Tennessee State and North Texas), so depending how we do against them, we could be seeded anywhere from No. 1 to No. 3.”
Troy has played a grueling schedule this year – the spring schedule started on Jan. 15 – including matches against No. 38 Florida State and No. 60 Auburn. Both ended in losses but the team feels that the early competition has made them better as the season has progressed.
“It’s always tough at the beginning of the year. Everyone is coming back from holidays and getting back into shape. It’s really tough we you play the level of competition we have played this season,” senior Karoline Grymel said. “When we won our first two conference matches, everyone bought in and really got into it.”
The Trojans have won all four conference matches – the league doesn’t require teams to play a full conference schedule – and have knocked off in-state foes Samford, Alabama State, Jacksonville State and Alabama A&M.
One contributing factor for the Trojans successes this season has been the play of some of the younger players like freshman Anja Cosovic, who is 13-5 this season playing mostly as the team’s No. 3 player.
“She’s come in and done a great job,” Hayes said. “I didn’t think she’d come in and be that hot but she has played really good tennis for us so far.”
Hayes said the team has benefited from their solid doubles play as well. The Trojans are 30-13 in doubles action this season with the combo of Cosovic and Candela Munoz Giron leading the way at 9-0.
Hannah Toro has come on strong of late as well. The sophomore left-hander has battled a wrist injury for most of the season but has worked herself to a 5-2 singles record alternating between the No. 2 and No. 4 slot.
Coming off a 4-0 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, the Trojans look to extend their streak to 11 straight as they travel to face Florida A&M on Thursday. Troy will play its final home match on April 9 against Alabama State.