The Utah women’s tennis team’s first event of the season revealed issues the team will have to work on before taking the court again.
The Utes played in the 21st Annual Tribe Invitational in Williamsburg, Va. last weekend where they faced some top competition, including No. 15 Virginia. Freshman Sarah Richter picked up a singles flight victory while Luisa Garstner da Rosa took second in hers and Tereza Bekerova placed third.
“We did fair,” said Utah head coach Mat Iandolo. “Not good, not bad.”
Bekerova felt similarly.
“We could have done a little better, but it was our first tournament,” she said. “We are just warming up.”
As for doubles, Iandolo described those teams as a work in progress. Bekerova and redshirt junior Paige Miles were ranked 18th nationally going into the weekend, but dropped both of their matches over the weekend.
Iandolo decided to switch things up and pair Bekerova with junior Callie Craig in an additional match played at the invitational. The new doubles partners took down Virginia’s doubles team of sophomores Danielle Collins and Maci Epstein.
“We learned a lot and gained the experience we need to become an elite team,” Iandolo said. He stressed that since this was the first event of the season, the main goals were to gauge where the team is as a whole, as well as evaluate individual performances.
Next up for the Utes is the ITA All-American on Oct. 6 in Los Angeles, Calif. Iandolo said if his team wants to succeed in the next event, players will have to improve their overall fitness level, which is not where it should be if the Utes want to be able to compete at an elite level.
“We could be in a little better shape, but it’s the beginning,” Bekerova said. “We have time.”