Dukes pass Pride, ousted by Monarchs
By John Galle, sports editor
Posted on April 27, 2006

The women’s tennis team (6-seed) was able to defeat Hofstra (11-seed) outdoors in the first match of their Colonial Athletic Association tournament 4-0, while Old Dominion (3-seed) eliminated them 0-4 in the second.

JMU beat Hofstra in the regular season a few weeks earlier, but were facing them a second time without both their No. 6 player, junior Catherine Phillips (job interview), and their No. 3 doubles player freshman Barrett Donner (injury). Freshman Annie Day traveled with the team to play at the No. 6 spot.

“We were weaker [the second time around], but we were still comfortable going into the match with our depth,” JMU women’s coach Maria Malerba said.

The Dukes displayed their confidence by getting it done on the court.

Junior Mary Napier teamed up with senior Kristin Nordstrom to clinch the doubles point over Erika Reggiani and Jill Spiritus (8-3). Napier went on to beat Stacy Kent 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 2 singles spot, while senior Ashley Reyher defeated Valerie McDonald 6-1, 6-2 at number four.

“It was solid play on all of our parts,” Reyher said. “We wanted to carry the momentum into our next match.”

The rain caught up to the Dukes and washed out the next day, forcing them indoors to play Old Dominion University (No. 3). ODU was coming off a trademark successful season (19-10) and showed it, halting the Dukes 4-0.

“It’s a strong conference,” Malerba said. “Of the 11 teams, you have the top [two or three] ranked in the nation. Also, the top teams are fully funded [or on scholarships]. It makes it hard to advance very far.”

The Dukes will hold their heads high despite the second-round elimination, as they finished where they were supposed to, according to Malerba, in sixth place as the sixth seed.

“I’m not disappointed,” Malerba said. “If we had placed [any better], I would have been ecstatic, and if we had placed [any lower], then it would have been a disappointment.”

Reyher said, “The focus in that last match was to play well, and I think everyone ended the season playing their best tennis.”