Monday, April 18, 2016

It's Playoff Time!!!

Hello Tennis Fans!

It is that magical time of year when we celebrate what we've done and look to the coming weekend of playoff tennis.  Our journey this year has been incredible as we have come so far and learned so much.  With a challenging national schedule and three D1 matches in there, we have passed many tests to remain in the top 25 nationally in D3 and are building our momentum for the days ahead.

Our final tuneup for the postseason came with two resounding conference wins over Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran.  We played a terrific match against UPS and fought through a slow doubles start to gut out a 2-1 lead and roll through singles versus PLU to get an 8-1 win.  It was also an incredible experience to play D1 Seattle University on their home courts outside in Seattle.  With families, friends and alums cheering us on, we had a great win by Allie and Lindsey at #3 doubles and Cello and Jenna were right there at #2 while their #1 team did a great job against Hanna and Mary.  In singles it was Allie again getting us a point with a terrific 3 set battle.  But every match was terrific.  Cello and Jenna each had really high level tennis with Cello coming back from 0-4 in the second to push it to a tie break, it was so good seeing how both of them competed and hit their shots so freely.  Mary had a slow start but then went toe to toe with a great player at #2 and the final matches on were battles from the start.  Lil J went up 3-0 before her opponent cut down errors and hit bigger as the battled each set 6-3,6-3.  Lori was last on and after dropping a close first set, found a way to break her big serving opponent for a 7-5 second set and she carried that momentum into the match tie break.

From our previous D1 matches where we competed but couldn't get points, this was a big improvement and shows the hard work the team has put in.  We also couldn't be more excited to play the conference tournament right now where we have wins over two of the teams and from a 2-7 loss early to Lewis and Clark, we are headed in the right direction with a narrow 4-5 loss a couple weeks ago.  We are certainly focused on Linfield who has everyone healthy and is a great team deserving of their national ranking so I hope you can come watch us play in Portland this weekend as we look each day to enjoy the moment and extend our season!

Championship Schedule at Lewis and Clark College

Saturday, April 23 - Semifinals at L&C

10am                 #1 Lewis & Clark vs. #4 Whitworth
Not before 2pm   #2 Whitman vs. #3 Linfield

Sunday, April 24 - Championship Match at L&C
10am                     semifinal winners




Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Saving the best for last....or is it just getting started

Hello everyone,

Today at Whitman is Whitman Undergraduate Conference Day.  If you're not a Whittie and don't know about this event, it is one of the things that makes our liberal arts education so special.  Without graduate students at Whitman, our professors (who are experts in their fields) need help conducting research and value teaching so students do a ton of work at a really high level.  This ranges from senior seminar papers/projects to a senior thesis to research or study conducted by students with professor or student grants etc.

The bottom line is that Whitman students do amazing work and one day a year the college stops classes and the whole campus is involved in presentations of this work.  Today, Jenna moderated a panel themed, "Our town, Our times" and gave a presentation on a project she did titled, "Who's Framing Whom? Critical Analysis of Jay Z and Beyonce Meeting the Mona Lisa"  How's that for an econ major (who has passed her senior exams!!!).  During the all campus lunch, Cello who plays in the Jazz Ensemble performed at the Reid Campus center, so there is music, science, social science and just about everything you can think of students doing...what a day!

Okay, enough excitement about school, last weekend we had a one match and following a great week of practice, we played our last home regular season match vs Pacific.  This is a talented team that we knew would be tough, especially at the top of the lineup and in doubles.  Through the years, I've seen teams go through matches relying on depth or talent and the result is often good, but the goal of our team each day is to use every minute we have together on court to keep improving.  Sunday was an absolute celebration of that attitude.

We got out quickly in doubles sweeping the three counting matches plus the exhibition where Lil J and Jana played brilliant attacking doubles to win 8-0.  All other teams won 8-3 and our habits are really coming out!  In singles, there was no drop, rather we stepped it up with the dangerous 1-3 matches all going our way in straight sets.  I'm so proud of Jenna as a senior to play two brilliant sets in front of friends and teammates at 1.  Mary and Allie were just as good at 2 and 3. Cello and Lindsey rested while Lil J and Lori were efficient at 4 and 5 and Jana started strong, hiccuped a bit in the second set and reset herself brilliantly to take the third set 6-1.  Hanna went inside for an exhibition and was the first done 6-0,6-1.

I'm incredibly proud of the team on and off the court, we have more fun each week as they get used to the habits or competing together as champions and growing together each day and week.

This weekend we have an exciting weekend in Tacoma/Seattle.  If you're in the area, let me know as we'd love to see you at matches and are working on a team/supporter dinner Saturday night in Seattle.

Saturday we play at 9am at UPS then go to Seattle University for a showdown with the D1 Redhawks.

If you'll be at the matches or are interested in joining us for dinner Saturday night, please email me at heinj@whitman.edu

Sunday we play PLU at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma at 10:30am.

This is the final regular season matches for our team and then we play the Northwest Conference Tournament.  More info after this weekend, but in all likelyhood we will travel to Lewis and Clark where the Pios will host the top 4 conference teams.  We would be slated to play in Portland at LC Saturday 4/23 at 2pm in the second semifinal of the day.  The finals will be Sunday 4/24 at 10am with an NCAA bid on the line.

We hope to see you soon!
John

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Family/Alumni/Senior Weekend in Walla Walla

It was an amazing weekend of tennis. Our Wonderful WhitWomen demonstrated awesome improvement and after a 2-7 score the first time with Lewis and Clark, we had a terrific hard fought, well played 4-5 match that came down to 3rd sets at 5 and 6. Our sophomores showed how good they are with Hanna leading Mary to a strong win at 1 dubs and Lil J and Lindsey fought side by side in gutsy 3rd sets, Linds fighting through cramping to win 6-4 and Jenna coming incredibly close in a tough 4-6 third set.

Our family/alum/senior dinner was so special thanks to the planning by Coach Maddy and the amazing hosting of Christy (Lindquist) and Jay Krutulis. Thanks so so much! The team put together a great tribute for Katrina and Jenna.

The whole crew at dinner..more photos on the flickr site

This team plays such amazing tennis, but it is so special to have amazing support from our alums and families. Thanks to locals Jayne and Jim, Jay and Christy, and Kate KP for coming out as well as the Schuellers (WC superfans and super smart math profs).
Sunday we bounced back in a big way, taking down a very tough George Fox team who we beat 6-3 in February. This time we got the doubles sweep and carried it to an 8-1 win. This team continues to show that they learn from EVERY experience and can apply it to the next match. Cello, Lori and Jana were especially on fire, all winning singles and dubs in convincing fashion. For Allie and Lil J, they also got double wins, which is super tough against a good team the day after leaving every bit of physical, mental and emotional strength on the court the day before before LC. I'm so proud of each and every player, without all of them we would not be the team we are or be in such a great position to continue this special journey together.

Our families who traveled included Jana's dad Heath (sorry, Dr. Miller), the Gilberts, the Wallin's, the Dobrin's, Alice Allick, Val Brodeck. You're all so wonderful and to all those who couldn't make it we missed you!

We're working (well mostly Maddy is) to make this a special event each year, so to have alums Amy K-P, Steven Ly, Seth Dawson, Emily Rolston all come out and share great times with us was so special!

And most of all, anything I'm able to do to help this team improve, learn and have a good time happens because Jen is so loving and supportive.

Thanks everyone.

John

Upcoming events:
1)Sunday 4/10 10am Home vs Pacific

2)Saturday 4/16 9am at Univ Puget Sound
Saturday 4/16 3pm at Seattle University
*Team/Family/Alum/Friend Dinner TBA in Seattle - contact John if you're interested!

3) NWC Championships (Likely at Lewis and Clark if they win out)
Saturday 4/23 Semifinals (probably 2pm?)
Sunday 4/24 Finals 10am
*The playoffs are elimination so this is what we've been working for, to play each match as our last and extend our season into the NCAA's and see how far we can go!