Katie Ross lines up a forehand during Saturday's match against the University of Oregon club team. T
Photo courtesy of Thom Larkin

The SOU tennis team swept a short-handed University of Oregon club team Saturday with a match score of 7-0. The victory improved the Raiders’ season record to 9-4 and also marked senior Rachael Malapit’s last home match.

Both SOU doubles teams (Katie Ross/Becca Weicher and Mallory Byers/Jen Voth) came from behind to win their matches 8-5. Malapit made her last at-home match one to remember with a final score of 8-2 against Renee Kryl. Top player Ross took down Megan Schultz 8-1 in her singles match. Heidi Chiles, Byers and Weicher came out on top 8-2, 8-3 and 8-5, respectively.

Saturday’s match took place in Medford due to rain, but the weather proved no obstacle to the Raiders’ momentum. Over spring break, the team enjoyed warm weather and sunshine in Orlando, but not for an idle vacation.

The Raiders took on three other schools, two of them NAIA competitors, during their time in the Sunshine State. SOU fell to Lindenwood International with a 4-5 match score March 24. The match came down to the very last game, in which Weicher lost 7-5 in the third set.

SOU came back the next day to defeat Webber International 5-4. Again, the match-up came down to the last game. In this case, Weicher overcame Cammie Bilardello’s 5-2 lead to win the match 7-5.

"Each day I think the team played better," said coach Gail Patton.

The trip brought the return of junior Byers, who sat out the season’s first eight matches due to a technicality regarding overseas transfer credits.

"I’m finally eligible now, so life is good," Byers said.

Freshman Voth, who joined the team winter term, won more matches in Orlando than any of her teammates.

"Gail’s a good coach," Voth said. "Exactly what I was looking for."

Voth is a relative newcomer to the sport, with five years of experience. Patton credits some of Voth’s success to her ability to put unpredictable spins on the ball.

The team concluded the Florida trip March 26 with a 9-0 loss to NCAA team Kalamazoo College. In both NAIA matches, the doubles teams of Ross and Weicher and Byers and Voth came out on top. Ross and Weicher took Lindenwood’s Kunika and Giles 8-1 and Webber’s Alariksson and Bilardello 8-6. Byers and Voth trumped Lindenwood’s Nutt and Hampson 8-1 and Webber’s Esquilin and Milosevska 8-3.

The Raiders did find time to relax during the trip after a red-eye flight. They made an excursion to Walt Disney World (Malapit’s first trip to a theme park). They also took advantage of the 75-degree weather down south.

"We were at the beach for a few hours in the afternoon before we came home," Patton said.

As Malapit approaches graduation, Patton has already scouted out some new talent for next year’s team. Her prospects include players from Utah and Washington. Due to the tennis season’s early (and chilly) start in winter, the team begins practice in the fall.

With only two matches left in the season, Patton hopes to finish with 10 victories. Byers, for one, feels the goal is well within reach.

"I have the utmost confidence in our team," Byers said.