New coach Ralph Perry takes over three-time LEC champion women�s tennis team

(Dartmouth, MA) --First-year coach Ralph Perry knows he has big shoes to fill as UMass Dartmouth's new women�s tennis coach. After all, Perry is replacing Warren Preti, who stepped down recently after 10 years with the women's team, which included three consecutive Little East Conference champions, four men's championships for a total of seven straight titles.

What may make Perry's job a little easier his first season is that Preti left behind a very healthy women's tennis program. UMass Dartmouth will have three former Little East Conference singles champions back in the lineup for the 1999 season along with several talented newcomers to the program.

"Coach Preti set a very high standard to keep up with, but he's left me with some outstanding talent to work with," said Perry, who will lead the Corsairs in their season opener at Southern Maine on Sept. 11. "Hopefully, it will all come together in a successful season, but I don�t know what the other schools have."

UMass Dartmouth's top returner from last year�s 8-3-1 team is senior co-captain Mary Bourque (Rochester, MA). During the 1998 season while playing at #2 singles, Borque posted a 9-3 record, while also teaming up for a 5-1 mark in doubles play. Her #2 singles title at the LEC championships last year was her fourth in three seasons to go along with a #4 singles and #1 doubles title in 1997 and a share of the #3 doubles titles in 1996.

"Mary Borque is a very quiet team leader and an excellent tennis player" said Perry. "She serves and returns very well and I�ll be looking for her to move up in the single's lineup."

Right behind Bourque in the race for the #1 singles position is the Corsairs� other co-captain for 1999 senior Christine Mace (Abington, MA). Last season, Mace saw limited singles action but was one of the Corsairs� top doubles players. In the LEC #3 doubles championships last year, Mace and her partner junior Christine Bendzewicz (Lowell, MA) were knocked out in the finals.

"Christine is a different type of player than Mary Bourque," Perry said. "She is a very spirited player, who hits a very hard forehand. She�s also going to be moving up in our singles lineup this Fall."

The Corsairs' singles lineup will also include two other LEC singles champions in Bendzewicz and sophomore Dana Feinstein (Franklin, MA). Bendzewicz was the LEC #5 singles champion a year ago, while Feinstein captured the #6 singles championship.

The pre-season competition for UMass Dartmouth's starting singles lineup will include some returners from last season and at least one newcomer to the program. According to Perry, sophomore Sarah Clapp (Watertown, MA) was in the hunt for one of the starting singles positions along with sophomore Isabelle Eiff (Longmeadow, MA), first-year player Melissa Walsh (Watertown, MA), sophomore Tamsin Zimbone (Raynham, MA) and sophomore Melissa Messier (Dighton, MA).

The Corsairs' doubles lineup is less established because UMass Dartmouth lost three-quarters of its two LEC doubles champions with only Borque returning this season. Heading into the season opener, Perry thought Bourque and Mace would team up at #1,with first-year player Coryne Preston (N. Attleboro, MA) and Bendzewicz at #2 and any of a host of players competing for the #3 doubles team.

"Having a couple of LEC champions back has been a very big help to me," said Perry. "They have been helping me through my freshman orientation as a new coach."

UMass Dartmouth will play a 14-match schedule along with its title defense at the Little East Conference championships to be held this year at UMass Boston Oct. 16-17. After opening with four straight road matches, Perry and his Corsairs will make their home debut on September 28 against Johnson and Wales University.

"Following a coach who won three straight LEC championship is a tough role to fill, but I�ll give it a try," said Perry.