Cornell’s tennis teams will open their fall seasons tomorrow in a pair of invitationals featuring both Ivy League and ECAC competition. Both the men and the women had successful seasons last year, boasting records of 13-5 and 13-7, respectively, but will look to improve on their identical 2-3 Ivy records.
The men’s team will begin its campaign at home, hosting the Cornell Fall Outdoor Invitational tomorrow and Sunday at the Reis Tennis Center. The Red will take the courts without last year’s tri-captains Russell Gimelstob ’01, Greg Artzt ’01 and Mike Halperin ’01, all lost to graduation. Returning players will get valuable match experience this weekend and head coach Barry Schoonmaker will benefit from the chance to see some of the younger men in action.
The women netters were scheduled to hold their own invitational at Cornell last weekend, but the event was canceled as a result of last Tuesday’s terrorist attacks. After an extra week of practice, the ladies now begin competition on the road, traveling to New Jersey to face Yale, Temple and Princeton at the Princeton Fall Invitational.
While the team will certainly feel the loss of last year’s captain, four-year starter Ngozi Amobi ’01, a strong returning crew will look to continue the successes of last season, which head coach Angela Rudert described as the team’s best in six years.
The netters will be led by juniors Daniela DelPrete and Suzanne Wright, sophomores Laura Leigh Tallent and Kate Sternberg and four talented freshmen who are expected to contribute immediately.
Archived article by Sarah Spain