Tennis serves Longwood 5-2
By Caroline Morris, contributing writer
Posted on April 10, 2006

The JMU women’s tennis team had a lot to celebrate yesterday. Aside from presenting graduating seniors Kristin Nordstrom and Ashley Reyher with roses and then showering them in silly string, the Dukes beat the Longwood Lancers at Hillside Courts, 5-2.

“This was one of the matches that, as a team, in the spring we designated as a tough match that we wanted to focus on,” JMU coach Maria Malerba said. “We did that because it was a tough match last year.”

The strategy appears to have worked. The Dukes won two of the three doubles matches. Nordstrom and junior Mary Napier trounced Longwood’s Romana Bucur and Lexi Torrice, 8-1.

Freshman Anna Khoor and junior Lauren Graham had a lengthy battle against Longwood’s Elena Triebskorn and Jessica Farr. As the Lancers pair began to tire, Khoor and Graham showed their stamina, winning 8-6.

“We started off strong but made stupid mistakes like going for it too much,” Khoor said. “We just had to play steadily, which we did and won in the end.”

Khoor also emerged victorious for the second time on the day with a 6-4, 6-4 win over third-seeded Ashley Melson.

“I had to get used to her play,” Khoor said. “She’d just hit everything back. I just did it point by point and won five games in a row.”

Nordstrom also had a multiple-win day, as she faced Longwood’s Bucur again in singles. Nordstrom clinched the top-seed victory in two sets, 6-2, 6-3.

“In the fall, [Nordstrom] played in the tournament and lost to her,” Malbera said. “She just controlled the match today.”

Nordstom’s doubles partner, Napier, who played in the second match, didn’t have the same luck and seemed frustrated losing in straight sets, 0-6, 0-6.

On the other end of the courts, it was the Lancers who were showing signs of frustration. Graham won her fifth-seed match over sophomore Brittany Huddleston 6-2, 6-2. Junior Catherine Phillips also came away victorious, beating Farr 6-3, 6-4.

Senior Ashley Reyher and freshman Barrett Donner lost their doubles match to the Lancers 8-4. Reyher also yielded to Torrice in her fourth-seed singles match, losing 6-3, 6-1.

“They have amazing depth,” Malbera said. “It’s a good match; you don’t know who’s going to win.”