UPDATE  11/6:  COLLEGIATE WINS STATE 6-3 OVER EPISCOPAL GOES 15-0 FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW photo courtesy of Robert Mullins Front row:  Sam Bos, Audrey Nguyen, Spenser Anne Edwards, Parker Whitley Middle row:  AP Lansinger, Emma White, Kristen Kirby, Katherine Barnett, Erin Mullins(holding plaque), Jessica Armes, Brooke Matson Back row:  Chris Conquest(coach), Tori Bos, Jessica Kammer, Aileen Giordano, Karin Whitt (Coach)

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COLLEGIATE GIRLS TENNIS 2006

Last year about this time, Cougars Head Coach Chris Conquest had the same air of invincibility about him.  The perennial girls powerhouse tennis team was well on its way to winning a fourth successive state title.  It was his first year of coaching the Cougars, and he had inherited one of the strongest girls' teams in Collegiate's history.

With Britt Aspinall, Mason Davis, Briana Jain and Jessica Armes, the 2005 squad barely lost any games before winning both the L.I.S. (League of Independent Schools) and VISAA (Virginia Independent Schools) State Titles.  This year, even with losing three of those four top players to college, the 2006 team has dropped only 5 individual matches out of the 108 total played during the regular Fall season.

Led by senior Co-Captains Jessica Armes, Brooke Matson and Erinn Mullins, the team has a good chance at claiming its fifth consecutive title, according to Assistant Coach Karin Whitt.   "Compared to last year's team, we're a lot more even top to bottom," said Karin, who also is an assistant coach for the boy's varsity team in the Spring.

"We have an older team, and we'll be losing five seniors this year-- four out of the top six."  Karin plans to make the most of the experienced squad by making sure her team is prepared.  "Focus is key," she said.

Collegiate is going in to the L.I.S. tournament as the top seed, and will only have to play 6 singles matches in the first day of play.  The tournament will be held in Charlottesville at St. Anne's Belfield.  The weather forecast calls for snow.

Natallia Dziamidzenka, St. Anne's coach, said her team is "prepared and excited" to be hosting the upcoming tournament.  This is Coach Dziamidzenka's first year of coaching STAB.  She hails from Belarus, and recently settled in Charlottesville after playing on the pro tour for six years.   As to her feelings about facing Collegiate?

"We know that they are really good," she said.  "Our strategy when we play them is to do our best.  To try different things we wouldn't normally try.

"Collegiate is one of the top two teams we face," said STAB's coach.  The other top team, St. Catherine's, will play STAB this week to determine seedings for the state tournament.  St. Catherine's, having lost only two matches this season (both to Collegiate) probably has its own trophy designs.

"We expect to win, but it is still going to be tough to win," said Coach Whitt, of St. Catherine's potential challenge.  "They took three matches off us the first time we met this season, and one the second time. "We're improving.  Especially in our doubles, we've gotten better from the beginning of the season until now at the end.

Coach Whitt and Coach Conquest make last minute decisions on their doubles line-up.  "We try to give everyone an opportunity to play."

"We just hope it doesn't snow..........," she mused, her voice trailing off in a sip of steaming hot cocoa.  Bundled in layers of clothing, she held her cup in gloved hands.  "This is the first cold weather match we've had to play this year," she explained as she looked out over the courts full of players.  The girls, many of them in short sleeves, seemed blissfully unaware that it was only 48 degrees.

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