UMass Dartmouth women's tennis team adds three transfers and five first-year players to 2002 roster

(Dartmouth, MA) - UMass Dartmouth women's tennis coach Ralph Perry has three of his six singles players returning for the 2002 season, plus eight other newcomers to the program looking to move into the Corsairs' starting lineup.

Coming off a 6-9 overall record last season, UMass Dartmouth's women's tennis roster has been upgraded with several new players in addition to the return of three solid singles players from the 2001 season. The Corsairs will be led by a pair of senior co-captains with plenty of experience, Melissa Walsh (Watertown, MA) and Coryne Preston (North Attleboro, MA). Walsh played #3 singles and doubles for the Corsairs as a junior and Preston held down the #4 singles spot and also played doubles for UMass Dartmouth. Also returning from last season is junior #2 singles player Erin Peters (Charlton, MA), who was among the Corsairs top players in both singles and doubles a year ago.

"We are very fortunate to have so many talented and experienced players returning this season," said Perry. "With the addition of three new transfer students along with five incoming first-year players, we are looking forward to a good year."

Preston posted a team-best 10 victories against eight losses and a 162-128 record in games for the 2001 season. Rounding out the rest of the Corsairs' top returning singles players from last season, Peters had a 7-10 record. The combination of Preston and Peters were the Corsairs' most successful doubles team, earning a team-high five victories against seven losses.

Among the other players on the Corsairs' roster with experience are junior Dena Haden (Bourne, MA), senior Laura Normandy (Orleans, MA). Haden had a 4-2 record in singles play last season and was 4-3 in doubles, while Normandy posted a 2-2 record in singles and was 3-4 in doubles. Senior Heather Guertin (Holden, MA) saw some action in doubles for the Corsiars as a junior.

"We lost our two co-captains from last year, a pair of very good players, but we have some very steady players returning this season," said Perry. "With some of the newcomers to the program filling out the starting positions, and some new combinations in our doubles lineup, we will have a very competitive squad this season."

UMass Dartmouth opens the 2002 campaign on Sept. 5 at Eastern Nazarene College before hosting Wheaton College in the home opener on Sept. 9. Among the Corsairs' top matches according to Perry are a Sept. 28 match at Little East Conference rival Rhode Island College, plus an LEC showdown with Southern Maine at home on Oct. 5.

The Corsairs will participate in the annual LEC Championships to be played at UMass Boston on Oct. 11-12.