Women's Tennis | 10/9/2017 11:20:00 AM
GAME INFORMATION
Daemen Wildcats (6-6, 1-3 ECC) vs. Millersville Marauders (0-4, 0-0 PSAC)
Tuesday, Oct. 10 | 2 p.m. | Millersville, Pa. | McComsey Tennis Courts
BEATTY'S BACK
Stephen Beatty returns for his fifth season as the head coach of the Wildcats...over the course of his first four seasons, Beatty has guided the Daemen women's tennis team to a 33-61 record...a former collegiate player at Division II Northwood University (Mich.) and Division III D'Youville College, Beatty got his coaching start as an assistant to Kelly Brown, serving for one season--Daemen's inaugural season of tennis competition--before being promoted to the top post.
WILDCATS PICKED 7TH IN ECC PRESEASON POLL
Following a vote of the league's head coaches, Daemen has been picked to finish seventh in the East Coast Conference this season.
RETURNING WILDCATS
The Wildcats are coming off a 9-15 campaign in 2016-17 (1-6 in ECC play), setting the team record for most wins in a season. They will enter the season without the services of Hayle Scanlan and Karli Hollins, two of the most decorated players in team history who were lost to graduation. Veterans Gretchen Ringler (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) and Jessica Robins (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) return to lead the team this season. The duo has combined to make 124 starts in singles play and 100 starts in doubles play in their careers. Ringler posted an 8-16 record at No. 3 singles last year and enters the season ranked second in career singles wins (30) among the program's all-time leaders. Robbins went 11-13 at No. 4 singles. Junior Morgan Park (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg) also returns after going 4-5 at No. 6 singles as a sophomore.
FRESH FACES
Daemen welcomes three true freshmen to the 2017-18 squad, including local product Christina Stasiuk (Bowmansville, N.Y./Lancaster). Stasiuk was a four-year member of the Lancaster girl's varsity tennis team. A two-time team captain and two-time team MVP, she played No. 1 singles and qualified for the Section VI championships her junior and senior year. Fellow freshmen Giovanna Paschoalin (Sao Caetano Do Sui, Brazil) and Lorissa Yuen (Portland, Ore./Sunset) are also expected to see significant playing time.
IMPRESSING AT ITA'S
Freshman Lorissa Yuen was the headliner for Daemen at the prestigious ITA East Region Championship tournament held last weekend at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, site of the U.S. Open. Yuen went 3-1 in singles matches; her first two wins came in the qualifying draw and gave her the right to advance into the main singles draw. In her main draw opening round match, Yuen downed Karen Serina of Adelphi, 6-4, 6-4. She would bow out in the second round, however, falling to Dominika Hadnadova from District of Columbia. Yuen is 9-7 in both singles and doubles play this season.
CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
Freshman Lorissa Yuen was named the East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week for matches held August 28 through September 3. Yuen led the Wildcats to wins over St. Michael's and American International during the week, posting a perfect 2-0 record in both singles and doubles play in the two matches. She became the first Daemen player to earn ECC Rookie of the Week honors since Brianna Fiorita did so in the opening week of the 2013-14 season.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Rookie Christina Stasiuk has made an immediate impact for the Wildcats, ranking first on the squad in singles wins with a 10-6 record. Stasiuk sits three wins shy of of the program's all-time record for singles wins by a freshman. The current record belongs to senior Gretchen Ringer, who posted 13 wins in 2014-2015. Stasiuk is 6-4 over her last 10 singles matches.
WILDCATS SPLIT TWO MATCHES LAST WEEK
Daemen split two matches played on consecutive days last week, picking up a 7-2 defeat of Division III affiliate Houghton before dropping a 7-0 decision to Division I affiliate Niagara. Lorrisa Yuen, Giovanna Paschoalin, Christina Stasiuk and Gretchen Ringler all earned wins in both singles and doubles play in the home win over Houghton. Ringler went to three sets Friday against her Division I counterpart from Niagara, but fell.
MILLERSVILLE SCOUTING REPORT
Millersville is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and the Marauders are led by Matt Helsel who took the reins last season after leading the programs at Elizabethtown College for 15 years. The Marauders posted a 4-15 record in Helsel's first season on the job, including a 2-3 mark in PSAC play. Millersville returns four players from its 2016-17 team, including junior Katina Jones who posted a team-high 10 singles victories, all of which coming in the No. 1 spot in the lineup. The Marauders are still looking for their first win of the 2017-18 season, and are coming off a 7-2 loss Saturday at Edinboro.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Millersville: 0-0
Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A
UP NEXT
The Wildcats return to ECC play with a road contest Saturday, Oct. 14 at St. Thomas Aquinas.
