Corsair Women's Tennis
2003 Preview

UMass Dartmouth women’s tennis team returns four of six top singles players from 2002 season.

(Dartmouth, MA) – UMass Dartmouth women’s tennis coach Ralph Perry enters the 2003 season with four of his top six players from a team, which finished with an 8-8 record last season.

The women’s tennis team will be lead this season by senior captain and a four-year starter for the Corsairs Erin Peters (Charlton, MA). As a junior last season, Peters had the Corsairs’ best mark in singles play with an 8-6 overall record. She was also one of two Corsairs to reach a singles final at the Little East Conference championship.

Perry will also welcome back three other top singles players in Hannah Chavez (Billerica, MA), Heather Mortimer (Haverhill, MA) and Sarah Charwick (Palmer, MA). As a first-year player last year, Chavez was 4-11 overall but Perry said her game has improved to the point where she will most likely take over the #1 singles position. Mortimer will return in the #3 singles position in her second season after going 4-10 last year.

Charwick was one of three UMass Dartmouth tennis players who had four victories last season. She finished 2002 with a 4-4 overall record and advanced to the #6 singles finals of the LEC Tournament before being eliminated. Perry said he expected Charwick to return to the #6 singles position this season.

“With the addition of four first year players to the roster, added to the returning players, I’m looking forward to a good season this Fall,” said Perry, who is in his fifth season as the Corsairs’ head coach.

Two of the first-year players Perry is counting are include Katie Haepers (Wilmington, MA) and Kristen Spooner (Westport, MA).

UMass Dartmouth will open Little East Conference competition on Saturday, Sept. 13 when the Corsairs host UMass Boston. The 2003 LEC season will conclude with the annual LEC Tournament to be played Oct. 17-18 at Plymouth State College.