While the tennis world buzzes about Roger Federer’s slump, the Albion College men’s tennis team is on anything but a decline.

The Britons have won five straight matches and are the only team besides Kalmazoo to have won their first two matches in league play.

“The competition is still fierce like always and nothing will be given to us in the MIAA,” said Adam Brown, Mequon, Wis., junior. “We are going to have to earn our wins with hard work and our strong wills to succeed.”

Albion was able to find success last Tuesday after they won their match 9-0 against Adrian.

The Britons not only won all six singles matches but did so in straight sets.

“The team played well, it was nice that Chris Tapping, Chelsea first-year, and Nick Maisano, Easpointe sophomore, got there first matches under their belts with solid victories,” said Brandon Still, Grosse Pointe Woods senior.

Tapping is one of the three first-years on the Briton’s varsity roster.

Chris Brown, East Grand Rapids first-year, also got a “W” last Tuesday in his doubles match with A. Brown.

“We are working extremely hard in practice and trying to be consistent day in and day out,” C. Brown said.

The momentum comes after the team returned from spending their spring break in Texas.

“In Texas I think we as a team bonded and improved our tennis in the areas of focus, teamwork, motivation and outdoor play,” Tapping said.

This past weekend, Albion played at the Wabash Invitational.

Lulek and Miller won their first doubles match, playing for first place in the Kerry Seward Memorial Tournament on Sunday. Lulek and Mieller won the doubles flight, 8-3.

Finishing third out of eight teams, the Britons collected 44 points over the two-day tournament at Wabash College.

The Britons will continue to play on the road until their homecoming on April 15, against Tri-State.

“Playing away matches is definitely a disadvantage because we do not have our women’s team or fans to cheer us on,” Lulek said. “But I know that we can focus and cheer for each other so that we all stay motivated and focused.”

Albion visited Kalmazoo on Thursday. The match was highly anticipated after the Britons beat the Hornets last season.

In 2007, Albion finshed third in league standings. Kalmazoo has a monopoly over the MIAA, winning the league every year since 1935.

“Kzoo is a huge match for us, especially after beating them last year,” Still said. “We aren’t doing anything specifically different for them, but we are continuing to come to practice working as hard as we can with them in the back of our minds now.”  

 

Lady Brits remain undefeated in MIAA

Emily Maygar | Staff Writer

Albion College women’s tennis is undefeated in the MIAA after winning their match against Olivet on March 19, with a current record of 9-0.  

The Lady Brits have won the MIAA championship for three years straight, and this year’s team hopes to continue that tradition.  They have faced tough competition but have kept their focus and ready for their next big fight.

“We all simply work our hardest every single day in practice,” said Emily Gundersen, Whitehall senior.  “Our strong work ethic as a team continues to pay off in our matches.”

The team consists of several strong returning players, including Gunderson, Anna Gundersen, Whitehall sophomore; Michelle Mulder, East Grand Rapids sophomore; Mara Rendina, Monroe sophomore; Vicky Seiter, Grosse Pointe Farms senior; and Yume Nakamura, Miyazaki, Japan, sophomore. 

They have been joined this year by first-year Lisa Wohlford, Cadillac, and Shelley Zamler, Beverly Hills.  All have had an impact in the success of the Brits’ team.

“To be undefeated is empowering and raises a lot of optimism; however, we still have a lot of work to do for the remaining season, so keeping our heads in the game is crucial,” Seiter said.  “In my opinion, you can’t plan to remain undefeated; it’s something that is situational that you have to take on as a team, but we are working hard to enhance our strengths and diminish our weaknesses.”

The Albion women travel to Oberlin, Ohio, this weekend for the Great Lakes Colleges Association Championships, and have four MIAA league games remaining before their MIAA championship tournament.

“We have our hardest matches coming up, so we’re all trying to work really hard so we can stay undefeated,” Zamler said.

Editors note: On Saturday, March 29, Albion played Grand Valley State in a non-league match. The Lady Brits lost to the Lakers 6-3. Seiter and Zamler got Albion’s lone victory in doubles play. The number one doubles pair won their match 8-4. In singles play, E. Gundersen and Zamler scored victories for the Britons.

 On Tuesday, Albion played Hope and beat the Lady Dutch, 5-4. Intercollegiate Tennis Association has ranked Albion’s women’s tennis team 14th in the central region.