Tennis recovers from shaky season with 3 wins

The Dixie State College women's tennis team won two of three home matches last week raising its record to 4-5, including a second win over a ranked opponent.

With a 5-4 win over No. 50 ranked Mesa State College on Saturday, the Red Storm have recovered from a shaky season start by winning three of the last four matches, and leveled its record against ranked opponents to 2-2. The Storm also beat Academy of Art's Urban Knights 6-3 on Friday, and lost to Southern Utah University 5-4 on Wednesday.

The Storm's victory over ranked Mesa State consisted of three singles wins by No. 3 position Ashley Lafeen, No. 5 position Courtney Kezerian and No. 6 position Lauren Tarver. Senior team captain Lafeen, a communication major from Murray, beat Mesa's Victoria Sargent 6-2, 6-0. Lafeen is playing in the midst of a four match-winning streak and has won seven of her last eight contests. In those eight matches, Lafeen has only lost one set.

Freshman Kezerian, a communication major from Orem, swept all three of her matches as well. She beat Mesa's Amber Armanderez 6-1, 6-0. Academy of Art's Ana Ritchie tested Kezerian but lost 7-5, 6-3 to the DSC freshman. Kezerian beat SUU's Kristi Latteier 6-3, 6-0. For the season, Kezerian's singles record is 8-3 at the No. 5 position. Kezerian said her match with Ritchie was a challenge.

"It was rough because she sent everything back that I hit," Kezerian said. "[The match] was so long, but I started to hit my shots."

Junior Tarver, an integrated studies major from Wrightwood, Calif., went 3-0 in her singles matches last week. She came out on top of a good battle with Mesa's Cyndle Curfman 6-0, 7-6 (10). Tarver handily beat Academy of Art's Cecia Hedin 6-1, 6-0 and was engaged in a tight match with SUU's Sarah Alamshaw 7-5, 2-1, before Alamshaw retired. Tarver has started well this season with a 7-2 record while playing at the No. 6 position for the Storm.

"Our team has definitely improved from last season," Tarver said. "I'm really excited about what we can do this season."

The Storm doubles pairings have been playing well. They have won eight of their last 12 matches. Tarver has teamed with Adrienne Davis at the No. 3 position and has a 7-2 record including winning four in a row. Their wins over No. 49 ranked Grand Canyon University and Saturday's win over No. 50 ranked Mesa State have been very solid for the team. Pelton said the team has made improvements in the way they play. He said winning and losing is about forcing errors and not committing unforced errors. "They're hanging in there," Pelton said. "The difference between the beginning of the season and now is that the players are making their opponent work harder for points."

While most DSC students are off for spring break next week, the Red Storm tennis team will compete in seven matches in eight days. They will head to Northern California next week and play Notre Dame de Namur University on Saturday in Belmont, Calif. The team will play various teams throughout the San Francisco area, including its fifth contest against a ranked opponent this season, No. 44 ranked Sonoma State University. The Storm will close the road trip in San Rafael against PacWest's Dominican University on March 13.