The postseason has arrived for the Virginia women's tennis team and that means it's time for the ACC tournament. Virginia (12-8, 6-5 ACC) earned the No. 6 seed in the ACC tournament and will face No. 11 seed Virginia Tech today at 3 p.m. in Cary, N.C.
This season has been one of the most successful women's tennis seasons in recent memory. The Cavaliers finished with a 6-5 record in the ACC -- their best since 1994 when they went 5-3. For the team's success Virginia coach Mark Guilbeau was named ACC women's tennis Coach of the Year yesterday. Guilbeau's leadership helped the Cavaliers to defeat two teams ranked in the top 10, a feat that no Virginia women's tennis team had ever achieved. The Cavaliers defeated No. 10 Duke and No. 6 Miami and cracked the top 25 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) rankings for the first time in three years.
"I'm very satisfied" with how the season has gone, senior Lori Stern said. "I've had the best season, by far, that I've ever had. Tennis is fun again and it wasn't for a while. Winning makes it fun, the coaches make it fun and the team is all getting along really well. I've had a great season."
Virginia has already played Virginia Tech this season and defeated the Hokies 6-1. Nonetheless, the Cavaliers feel confident that the Hokies will bring their A-game to the tournament; therefore, the team will need to play very well to defeat Virginia Tech.
"Around here you never underestimate a match with a Virginia Tech team in anything," Guilbeau said. "There's a very positive and strong rivalry there. We know they're going to bring their very best. We're not looking beyond them at all and we know that we'll have to play very well to win."
The players are eager to play Virginia Tech because they feel confident and prepared against the Hokies.
"I feel pretty good with the [Virginia Tech] matchup," Stern said. "I'm excited that we beat them so handily before and not many of the matches were close. I'm excited with that matchup but we can't get overconfident."
Virginia has not made any glaring changes in preparation for the ACC Tournament. Instead, the Cavaliers have been preparing for the tournament as if it is just another match.
"I think that your whole season is designed to prepare you for the ACC Tournament," Guilbeau said. "We practice with intensity, day after day, so that it prepares you for if you have a match day after day. All we're doing for the tournament is working with individual players on specific skills that they use and implement."
Virginia is going into the tournament with a great amount of confidence. The Cavaliers are enjoying one of their most successful seasons ever under an inspiring and dedicated coach.
"I think our morale and confidence is good right now and certainly winning helps that," Guilbeau said. "Overall the team knows that the work they put in has led to some real good results and rewards for them. I think our morale and confidence is as high as it could possibly be."
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