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Women's Tennis Prepares for ACC Tournament
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April 21, 1999
Wahoos Get Rematch with Florida State: The Cavaliers dropped their ACCopener to Florida State 6-3 on March 20, but have a chance to avenge theloss in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Virginia opens ACCTournament play against the Seminoles on Friday at 9 a.m. The winner facesthe winner of the #2 Wake Forest vs. #7 Clemson match on Saturday at 11a.m. The finals are scheduled for Sunday at noon.
Back to Back Winning Seasons: The Cavaliers are 12-8 this season (springrecord of 9-7) and came within one win of equalling last season’s total whenthey finished 13-10. This is the first time since 1991-94 that theCavaliers have posted back-to-back winning seasons. It is also the firsttime since then that they have won 10 or matches in consecutive years (UVawon 12 in 1992, a school-record 18 in 1993 and 12 in 1994). Virginiafinished sixth in the ACC this season with a 3-5 league record.
Head Coach Phil Rogers: Phil Rogers, a 1971 Virginia graduate, is in his17th season as head coach of the Cavaliers. He has led the Cavaliers to allfive NCAA Tournament berths in school history, including bids in each ofthe last three seasons. The dean of ACC head coaches, Rogers is thefourth-winningest coach in ACC history with a 188-165 (.533) record. He hasguided the Cavaliers to 51 ACC wins, also fourth-most in league history.
Virginia in the ACC Tournament: The Cavaliers are the sixth seed in thisyear’s ACC Tournament as a result of their sixth place finish and 3-5conference record. This is the fourth time the Cavaliers have been thesixth seed in the ACC Tournament since the current single-eliminationformat was introduced in 1990. Since 1990 Virginia has won just onetournament match-a win over Wake Forest in the 1993 quarterfinals. TheCavaliers have advanced to the finals twice (1978 fall tournament, 1989)throughout the years under the old dual match format that was used through1989, but they haven’t been since 1989.
Quartet of Cavaliers Win 20: For the first time since 1993, Virginia has atleast four players with 20 wins. Freshman Amy O’Donnell and sophomoreChristie Schweer lead the way with 27 wins apiece. Sophomore Kelly Weaveris not far behind with 25 wins, while sophomore Leslie Cook has 23. IfO’Donnell is able to remain atop the list, she would become the secondrookie in a row to lead the team in wins. Schweer led the team last seasonwith 25 wins as a freshman. Current Cavalier Stacy Gingold also led theteam in wins with 25 as a freshman in 1996.
Gingold Heats Up in Spring: Senior Stacy Gingold got off to a slow startthis spring, but has picked up her play down the stretch to help to bolsterthe top of the Cavaliers’ line-up. She has won five of her last sevenmatches, her best stretch of the season. Despite being one win below .500this season with a 16-17 record, she compiled a 5-3 record in ACC matches.
O’Donnell Nears Record: Freshman Amy O’Donnell has turned in an outstandingseason this year. Coming to UVa with a wealth of credentials, she wasimmediately slotted into the #3 spot by head coach Phil Rogers. She roaredto 17 wins in her first 19 collegiate matches back in the fall. In thespring she has fashioned a 10-5 dual record en route to a 27-8 overallrecord. Her 27 wins are the second-most by a freshman in school history.Alison Cohen won 30 matches as a rookie in 1992-93.
Schweer Swats Sophomore Slump: Sophomore Christie Schweer has been a veryconsistent performer in both singles and doubles for the Cavaliers thisspring. Following a freshman season in which she won a team-high 25 matchesand an ACC championship at #3 doubles (with Leslie Cook), it would be easyto figure she might be in for a sophomore slump. But that wasn’t the caseas she knocked aside any thoughts of a slump with a 27-12 singles record,including a 6-2 mark in league play, this season. She also teamed with Cookin doubles as they have compiled a team-best 17-12 doubles record. Theywere 4-4 in league play, tops on the team.