Men's & Women's Tennis
Current Season Preview

updated 09/29/2008

2008-09

EXPERIENCED ALL-PSAC PLAYERS LOOK TO LEAD WOMEN TO PSAC FINAL

In 2008-09, the Kutztown University women’s tennis team will look to get back to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships after a three-year hiatus.

The Golden Bears, who finished 7-8 overall and 4-1 in the PSAC East last season, were last in the conference final when KU fell to Bloomsburg during the 2004-05 season.

Bloomsburg ended KU’s season again last season, winning 5-2 in the conference consolation round.

“I’d like for them to advance to next level,” 10th-year head coach Suresh Ramamurthi said. “I would like to see them qualify for the Atlantic Regionals.”

With three All-PSAC East singles players returning — juniors Barbara Joerns, Sabrina Arnaud and Rohini Das — the Golden Bears will have a solid, experienced 1-2-3 punch in the top half of their lineup.

Das, Joerns and Arnaud, who competed in the No. 1, 2 and 3 singles last season, will have some competition with Nicole Devine (fr. Orefield/Allentown Central Catholic) joining the team.

Arnaud finished the season going 13-6 in singles competition, including a 9-2 mark in the third singles. Das, who is a two-time All-PSAC East singles selection, finished 12-8 overall and 7-2 in the No. 2 spot, while Joerns was 10-6 overall and 6-3 in the first singles.

“Hopefully their two years of experience has given them an idea of what they need to do to win,” Ramamurthi said. “The experience at the top of the lineup is a bonus.”

Their experience will also help the new starter, Devine.

“I’m hoping that she can contribute there,” Ramamurthi said. “She should be a good addition and help out in the top four singles spots.”

With the increased depth and talent, newcomer Chelsea White (fr. Landenberg/Avon Grove), along with returners Shir Suez and Tess Wright, will compete for a spot in the Golden Bears’ lineup.

McCabe had six wins last season for the Golden Bears.

“The other returners will factor in, giving us eight to nine potential starters,” Ramamurthi said. “The depth allows for more mixing and matching in doubles.”

Das and Joerns, who won All-PSAC East doubles honors going 10-8 last season, will pair up again this season in the No. 1 doubles slot.

“As a pair, they were successful because Rohini is a very good setup and defensive player, while Barb is a more offensive, put-away player,” Ramamurthi said.

KU opens the season on Sept. 12 with a PSAC crossover match against Indiana (Pa.) at Clarion.

ALL-PSAC RETURNERS, FRESHMEN STANDOUTS TO LEAD KU ANOTHER PSAC TITLE

For the Kutztown University men’s tennis team, the goal is simple this season: Win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship.

After a streak of four straight titles came to an end last season at the hands of Bloomsburg University, Golden Bears’ 10th-year head coach and 2007 PSAC Men’s Coach of the Year Suresh Ramamurthi has retooled his lineup to include two top prospects from India and two All-PSAC singles and double players from last season.

Senior Lukas Labitsch, who is 32-13 in singles competition over his first three years at KU, leads the Golden Bears into the 2008-09 season and will look to lead the team to its eighth PSAC Championship in the last 10 years.

Labitsch will start in the No. 1 singles spot and his All-PSAC doubles partner from last season, Arpit Sharma, will return to the No. 2 spot. Sharma, an All-PSAC selection, was 10-7 overall last season. Labitsch was 13-4 in doubles play and Sharma was 12-5.

“I see that we have a good chance at being in the finals again and hopefully winning it,” Ramamurthi said. “It’s going to be a more competitive match this year.”

Last season, the Golden Bears lost 5-1 to Bloomsburg, with their overall record falling to 4-8 overall. KU was 3-1 in the PSAC during the regular season, losing to Bloomsburg 8-1.

Ramamurthi believes the newcomers Ronak Amalani (fr. Rajkot, INDIA) and Arijit Goswami (fr. Kolkata, INDIA) will be exactly what KU needs to get back to the level it was when the Golden Bears compiled a 44-8 record from 2004-05 to 2006-07.

Amalani, who went to a high school in Maryland, was nationally ranked in India, and Goswami is a highly ranked player in India. Both will compete in the No. 3 and 4 singles for KU.

“Ronak will be a good addition to our team,” Ramamurthi said. “And Arijit brings international experience and will be solid in the top portion of our lineup.”

The Golden Bears also will receive help in the spring, when the team championships are played, with transfer Jonathan Goulet (so. St. Augustia, Quebec) becoming eligible to play. NCAA transfer rules will force him to sit out the fall schedule after he competed at Lake Superior in 2006.

“He will make our lineup really, really solid,” Ramamurthi said.

Andrew Torrealba (7-8) and Robert Zerwick (4-8), who competed in the No. 3 and 4 singles spots last season, will be a factor in the starting lineup by challenging the freshman.

All of the underclassmen will look to their lone senior, Labitsch, for leadership. Ramamurthi expects Labitsch to step up and not only teach the newcomers, but succeed on the court as well.

“I’m hoping as a senior he wants to win another PSAC championship and go to nationals,” he said.

The Golden Bears, who will compete in the Atlantic Region this season, will open up their season with the ITA Regionals at Bloomsburg on Oct. 4, 5 and 6.

“We still will be very competitive in the Region,” Ramamurthi said. “I believe we’ll be ranked in the top three in the region.”