2009-10 Women's and Men's Tennis Program Overviews

SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- The Susquehanna University women's and men's tennis teams are both coming off of competitive play this past fall and have the spring months ahead of them to complete their 2009-10 seasons.

Bob Jordan is in his 16th season as the head coach of the women's team and third at the helm of the men's squad.

Dr. Fred Grosse returns to Susquehanna for another season as assistants for both teams.

WOMEN

The Susquehanna women will compete a minimum of 13 times this season. SU went 4-2 in six matches this past fall, combining for a 35-1 score in the four wins.

Julia Lerner '12 (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee)--a Landmark Conference all-star a season ago--led the Crusaders with a 4-2 singles record (all at first-flight) this past fall and teamed with Ellen Pulsinelle '13 (Lyndhurst, N.J./Immaculate Conception) to post a 3-1 doubles mark (all first-flight as well).

Pulsinelle went 3-3 at third-flight singles over the fall.

Abby Hess '13 (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) began her collegiate career with a 4-2 singles record (second-flight) during the fall months. Hess also partnered with Kim Rogers '13 (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) for a 2-2 mark at second-flight doubles.

Cassie Zerbe '12 (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) posted the best singles record for SU during the fall with a 4-1 mark out of the sixth flight.

Still, every member of the team that competed in singles matches this past fall registered a .500 winning percentage or better.

Allison Killeen '12 (Media, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) and captain Jessi Haas '10 (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville Area) competed together in all three doubles flights this past fall and finished with a 5-1 record.

Academics are a large part of the women's team's overall success. Seven Crusaders women's tennis players landed on the 2009 Landmark spring academic honor roll, and last season's captain--Shelby Werronen '09--claimed a spot on the conference spring all-academic team for the second straight year.

The women open the spring portion of their schedule this season with a home Landmark match against Goucher College at the James W. Garrett Sports Complex tennis courts on March 27.

The top four teams in the Landmark standings annually qualify for the conference championships. The women's semifinals take place on May 4 this year, and the championship match is set for May 8.

MEN

The Susquehanna men will compete a minimum of 15 times this season. They finished the fall portion of their schedule with a 2-3 record, highlighted by 6-3 wins over Penn State University-Harrisburg on Oct. 10 and St. Mary's College of Maryland on Oct. 12.

The Crusaders are led by captain William Mellor '11 (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven), who recorded a singles win from the fourth flight this past fall to go with a third-flight doubles win.

Richard Fitzsimmons '13 [Brielle, N.J./Loomis Chafee (Conn.)] had a strong fall, registering a 2-3 record in singles (2-1 in the third flight). Fitzsimmons also notched a 3-2 mark in doubles play (all in the first flight). He teamed with Mats Haaland '13 (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) for a 2-2 record and Michael Hickey '13 (Yarmouth, Maine/Maine) for the other victory.

Hickey went 2-3 in singles.

The lone perfect singles record this past fall came from sixth-flight player Bruce Osborn '11 (Sayre, Pa./Sayre Area), who went 3-0 without dropping a set.

The duo of Alec Green '12 (Media, Pa./Strath Haven) and Grant Uber '12 (Biglerville, Pa./Biglerville) went undefeated in fall doubles, going 2-0 out of the third flight.

As with the women, academics are a large part of the men's team's overall success. Six Crusaders men's tennis players earned a spot on the 2009 Landmark spring academic honor roll, and the team captured SU's CHAMPS/Life Skills men's academic team award by leading all of the university's male teams with a 3.17 grade point average during the 2008-09 academic year.

The men open the spring portion of their schedule this season with a non-conference match against Lycoming College at a site yet to be determined on March 21.

Landmark play starts with a home match against Goucher at the Garrett Sports Complex on March 27.

The top four teams in the Landmark standings annually qualify for the conference championships. The men's semifinals take place on May 5 this year, and the championship match is set for May 8.