With three returning key players and four freshmen starting in the lineup, Clarion looks to a young team to lead in the 2004 season.

Clarion posted a 4-6 record last fall against some rugged competition. Now the Golden Eagles enter the spring schedule with hopes of getting to the PSAC "Final Four" and sending the top players to the PSAC singles and doubles championship.

"We had a very young and inexperienced team in the fall, but they learned with every match," said head coach Lori Sabatose. "We will be improved this spring, and with hard work, maybe we can turn some of those losses around."

"We have a young team that is full of energy," Sabatose said. "I look forward to coaching them again because they all listen and respond well."

Clarion went into the Fall 2003 season with limited expectations. With a young team and a loss of much of their starting lineup, the Golden Eagles were able to compile a quality 4-6 record dual meet record and an 0-3 PSAC-West mark. Wins came against PSU Behrend, Frostburg, Westminster and Juniata. Faced with a tough line up and not a lot of on the court experience, the team was very competitive and improved a lot throughout the season.

Clarion posted an overall record of 9-6 in dual meet action last year, including a 7-3 mark in the spring. The Golden Eagles also were 4-6 in PSAC action including two wins over Edinboro and one win each over West Chester and East Stroudsburg. The Eagles were 5^th at the PSAC’s under fourth year head coach Lori Sabatose. She was the team’s head coach in 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and returned to lead the Eagles last season.

Gone from the 2003 lineup are key players, Cara Bobish, Brandy Vukich, and Brooke Vukich, Clarion has rebuilt its team this season, but Sabatose expects great things from the spring lineup. She knows that her team has put forth the extra effort necessary.

The Fall 2003 season was a great learning experience for the entire team. "The bottom half of our lineup, which consists of four freshmen, was very competitive and very capable of producing wins," Sabatose said.

Ashley Rhodes (Altoona, Altoona), Kristen Jack (Lower Burrell, Burrell), and Amanda Brothers (Pittsburgh, Moon) will step up and take the lead positions in the spring. Rhodes took the leading position this fall, and scored the #1 spot. She landed a record of 0-6 at #1 singles, and 1-5 at #1 doubles. She was 4-4 at #4 singles and 3-5 at #1 doubles in the Spring 2003 season, and overall last year she was 5-8 in singles and 4-9 in doubles.

Kristin Jack was to pick up the No. 5 singles position as a freshman, but jumped to #2. "Kristin, (a.k.a the Big Guy), hits a steady clean ball and has a great backhand," according to Sabatose. Jack moved up to the #2 position by the end of the fall season, and held a record of 5-3 at #4 and #2 singles, and 3-4 at #3 doubles.

Sophomore Amanda Brothers, who will play #3 singles in the spring, finished the Fall 2003 season with 2-5 at #2 singles, and 4-3 at #2 doubles. Brothers finished 5-6 in singles and 9-3 at #3 in doubles play last spring. "She had gotten a lot more competitive this summer," said Sabatose. "We look to her to be one of our leaders in both the singles and doubles lineups." According to Sabatose, "Rhodes and Brothers will have to dig deep to be more competitive, but they can do it because they both dedicated themselves last summer and in the fall to improve their game."

At #4 singles will be Melanie Frank (Dubois). Frank led the team this Fall in singles wins with a record of 7-3 at #5 singles and 1-5 at #1 doubles with Rhodes. Melanie was 13-0 at No. 2 singles her senior year in High School. Sabatose remarked, "Melanie has really surprised me at how well she’s been playing. She really knows how to win!"

Jessica Lowden (Grove City, Grove City), will jump to #5 singles and #2 doubles in the spring. Fall 2003, Lowden held a record of 2-5 at #3 singles, and 4-2 at #3, and #2 doubles. Last year Lowden had a strong overall singles mark of 6-2 at #6 and a doubles record of 6-4 at #2. "She is very calm on the court, and a patient doubles player. She’s also very competitive at the same time," said Sabatose.

Clarion relied on Megan Doyle (Harrisburg, C.D. East) a junior who also participates in javelin throw for track and field to step up in the No. 6 singles position. "She has a very good work ethic and is always willing to take the next step," said Sabatose. Doyle finished the season in the #6 position with a singles record of 5-2 and a doubles record of 2-1.

Nicole Nedley, Freshman (Hempfield, Greensburg), and Jacky Herbstritt, freshman (Elk County Catholic, St. Marys) rounded out the lineup. Because the team is so young, Sabatose says that "communication within the team is very good, and I will work hard to get them stronger and more agile for the spring season."

Sitting out in the fall was red-shirted freshman, Kara Frey (Montoursville, Montoursville.) According to Sabatose, "Frey was willing to help the team out even though she was red-shirted. Also, she never complains, which is great."

In regards to the new PSAC championships rules, only four teams will be selected to participate in the team title chase this spring. Two of the teams will be from the PSAC-East, and two from the PSAC-West. Sabatose said, "I am very disappointed in the new PSAC championship play. Our losses last year were only to Slippery Rock, Indiana, and California, which are all in the Western Conference. This year we could be the 4^th or 5^th team in our conference, but we won’t get to show that off. However, I’m glad the PSAC voted towards having a flighted individual invitational tournament with all teams being represented."

All in all, Clarion expects to play some very challenging matches this spring, and according to Sabatose "everyone is excited to play, and can’t wait to get their first win under their belts."

CLARION NOTES: Coach Sabatose played tennis at Clarion from 1988-91 and posted a career singles slate of 51-7 and won the PSAC individual title at #6 singles in 1989 and #5 singles in 1990. She was a #2 doubles PSAC winner in 1989 and 1990 and helped Clarion to PSAC team titles in 1988, 89 and 1990… Clarion has a schedule that includes 6 dual meets in the fall and then resumes with dual meets in the spring… The record against PSAC opponents the entire year is factored in when the PSAC selects in top 4 teams to play in the PSAC Championship bracket this spring.

By: Michelle McElroy