Spring Break
Tennis women prep for tournament
JASON BUTT
Issue date: 5/1/07 Section: Sports
Coming off its best regular season since 2002, the No. 2 Georgia women's tennis team is waiting anxiously as the NCAA Tournament approaches.
The Lady Bulldogs will wait 10 days before they can begin their national championship run.
It will be an especially hectic 10 days with the added pressure of final exams.
"It's that time for final exams and we want our student-athletes to do well in the classroom, to finish on a great note academically," said Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace.
"At the same time we've got the biggest tournament of the year right around the corner so we want to continue to stay in good shape and work on our games."
Unlike last season's 12-9 mark after the SEC championships, the Lady Bulldogs appear to be in good shape heading into the NCAA tournament. Since Georgia is in the top 16, it will host the first two regional rounds in Athens and should receive a favorable draw.
Regardless of who Georgia plays, Wallace said that if his players improve just a little in the next few days, the Lady Bulldogs should be fine heading into the tournament.
"I feel like if everyone can improve just 2, 3 or 5 percent in these next couple of weeks going into the NCAA tournament then some good things can happen to us," Wallace said.
After winning both the SEC regular season and tournament championships for the first time since 1994, Georgia hopes to keep the momentum flowing into the NCAA tournament.
"Winning the SEC tournament gives us a lot of momentum because we are really confident," said sophomore Monika Dancevic.
"Just to know that we are playing good opponents and staying solid is good."
Earlier this season Wallace said he wanted to see his team peak in April and May. Dancevic believes the Lady Bulldogs are playing their best tennis of the year and peaking at the right time.
"I definitely think we're peaking," Dancevic said.
"We've had a lot of good wins, especially having some solid matches at the SEC tournament and just beating Florida again. I think that says a lot about our team."
The NCAA tournament today as the bracket will be revealed on the NCAA Selection Show at 2:30 p.m. on ESPNews.
"We're really excited for the draw to come out," said freshman Yvette Hyndman.
"I guess we don't know if we will be seeded second or third, so that will be interesting."
"It's going to be fun to see how they think the teams are going to do," Dancevic said. "It's interesting that we are ranked third but I guess it doesn't matter where we are seeded. We just have to play hard."
The Lady Bulldogs will wait 10 days before they can begin their national championship run.
It will be an especially hectic 10 days with the added pressure of final exams.
"It's that time for final exams and we want our student-athletes to do well in the classroom, to finish on a great note academically," said Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace.
"At the same time we've got the biggest tournament of the year right around the corner so we want to continue to stay in good shape and work on our games."
Unlike last season's 12-9 mark after the SEC championships, the Lady Bulldogs appear to be in good shape heading into the NCAA tournament. Since Georgia is in the top 16, it will host the first two regional rounds in Athens and should receive a favorable draw.
Regardless of who Georgia plays, Wallace said that if his players improve just a little in the next few days, the Lady Bulldogs should be fine heading into the tournament.
"I feel like if everyone can improve just 2, 3 or 5 percent in these next couple of weeks going into the NCAA tournament then some good things can happen to us," Wallace said.
After winning both the SEC regular season and tournament championships for the first time since 1994, Georgia hopes to keep the momentum flowing into the NCAA tournament.
"Winning the SEC tournament gives us a lot of momentum because we are really confident," said sophomore Monika Dancevic.
"Just to know that we are playing good opponents and staying solid is good."
Earlier this season Wallace said he wanted to see his team peak in April and May. Dancevic believes the Lady Bulldogs are playing their best tennis of the year and peaking at the right time.
"I definitely think we're peaking," Dancevic said.
"We've had a lot of good wins, especially having some solid matches at the SEC tournament and just beating Florida again. I think that says a lot about our team."
The NCAA tournament today as the bracket will be revealed on the NCAA Selection Show at 2:30 p.m. on ESPNews.
"We're really excited for the draw to come out," said freshman Yvette Hyndman.
"I guess we don't know if we will be seeded second or third, so that will be interesting."
"It's going to be fun to see how they think the teams are going to do," Dancevic said. "It's interesting that we are ranked third but I guess it doesn't matter where we are seeded. We just have to play hard."
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