2006 Women's Tennis Outlook

Temple University women’s tennis coach Traci Green has two goals for a successful 2006 season – stay healthy and win the Atlantic 10 Conference. The two go hand-in-hand for her team, as it is the squad can ill-afford to have any injuries with just seven players on the roster.

“We had a couple of injuries in the fall, most notably to Barbara (Oria Boer), so to be successful, we must stay healthy,” said the second-year Owls’ coach. “But with the addition of Barbara and the versatility of Felicia, we have a chance to be in the hunt for the Atlantic 10 title.”

Green led the Owls to a fourth place finish in the conference in her first year at the helm, and the league coaches have selected TU to place third in the 2006 preseason poll. That, in large part, is due to the return of senior Ana Maslesa.

A two-time first team all-conference performer, Maslesa has recorded 56 singles victories over her stellar court career. The Split, Croatia native had a strong fall season, earning a 5-2 record and a #26 regional ranking.

“I am very impressed with her play,” stated Green. “She is improving every week, especially in doubles where I am looking for her to make a big impact. She had several quality wins this fall and really stepped up her service game. When Ana steps on the court she always means business.”

Maslesa teams with junior Yuri Kurashima at first doubles. After posting just five wins last spring, the two played well enough this fall to record a 6-4 mark and earn a #14 regional ranking.

Kurashima, a transfer from South Florida, won six matches in her Owl debut as the team’s number two player in the Spring of 2005, and Green is expecting even bigger things this season following a solid fall campaign.

“She has stepped up tremendously and is playing smart, confident tennis,” said Green. “She is continuing to work on her fitness, and mid court game, an area she made strides in this fall.”

The second singles slot will have some competition this year at Temple with the addition of Florida Southern transfer, Barbara Oria Boer. Injured the entire fall season, Green feels, if healthy, she can compete with Kurashima for the second position.

“Barbara is a very gritty player with and aggressive baseline game. She will come to our line up with plenty of singles experience and solid wins while at Florida Southern College,” said Green.

Heading into the spring season, Green sees returning sophomore Sharanya Pattabi making a big impact this season. “Sharanya is really learning to enjoy the battle more, and to do a better job of putting her opponents away. Adjusting to college and getting your first season under your belt is always a huge thing for freshmen. Sharanya played her best tennis at the end of the season at the Atlantic 10 tournament which was great to see.” Green says Pattabi, along with newcomers Eva Marsalkova and Felicia Frasier, both freshmen, will all be battling for the fourth, fifth and six slots on the squad.

Pattabi had a solid first year, winning 10 matches against five defeats at sixth singles. She followed that with a perfect 4-0 record this fall. Frazier had a 4-1 mark in the fall and 2-2 in doubles while Marsalkova, who hails from The Netherlands, did not compete in the fall.

Senior walk-on Rachel Cammisa-Cantz, a local product out of Philadelphia’s St. Maria Goretti High School for Girls, rounds out the roster.

“We are focusing a lot on strategy this year,” said Green. “We have a lot of smart players and they learned a lot about the game in the fall. The entire team has committed to being students of the game and thinking more on the court by using higher percentage shots and recognizing their opponents’ weaknesses and tendencies early.

What I really like about our players is that they really get along well off the court. That factor will be very important when we play a lot of away matches this season. Our team chemistry, unity, disciple, and hard work will take us far. However, we are going to need a total team effort from top to bottom to win a conference title. It’s wide open right now and this year’s squad has the hunger to be on top.”

Green not only coaches her team to succeed and give 100 percent on the court, but also in the classroom. The women’s tennis team has carried the highest cumulative grade point average of all 24 varsity sports at Temple in each of the last two years, placing several team members on the Dean’s List and Academic All-Conference teams.