April 26, 2006

The spring 2006 women's tennis season came to a close last weekend after participating in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships. A young UD squad finished the 2005-06 regular season campaign with a 9-10 overall dual record (5-2 at home) and took tenth place at the Championships.

Dayton defeated Cleveland State and IPFW in the opening days of the spring season, but tough competition held the Flyers to a 2-5 record to begin the spring. Nationally ranked Louisville and Ball State each downed Dayton 7-0, but UD bounced back to win four of its next five matches. Dayton got hot with a 4-3 win over Evansville, and after shaking off a loss to Miami, the Flyers recorded convicing wins over Akron (5-2), Murray State (5-2) and St. Bonaventure (6-1). The streak evened UD's record at 6-6 for the spring, and got the Flyers back on track.

Nearing the spring's end, a win over Detroit (4-3) gave the Flyers an opportunity to overcome their tough schedule and finish above .500 for the year. However, Wright State and Butler each held off Dayton to win close matches.

The future appears to be bright for Dayton, which will return all of its players next season. The Flyers entered this season relatively inexperienced from top to bottom. With a first-year head coach in Erica Echko, no seniors on the 2005-06 roster, and only one junior in the everyday line-up for Dayton, a host of youngsters led the way. Sophomore Allysa Detroy anchored UD at #1 singles all season, while junior Kate Mellion played at #2. They combined for 11 singles wins this spring. Together at #1 doubles, Detroy and Mellion were tied for tops on the team with eight victories (two of which came at the A-10 Tournament).

A host of freshmen and one sophomore rounded out the Flyers' line-up. Sophomore Megan Gray led UD this year in wins. She posted a 10-8 mark this spring at #4, giving her 20 wins for the entire year (10-5 fall record). Freshman Nikki Dzubay, Gray's doubles partner, played at #3 singles and tallied a 6-13 record. In late Feb. and early March Dzubay went on a three-match win streak, earning her A-10 Rookie of the Week honors. Gray and Dzubay posted eight wins together at #2 doubles this spring.

Freshmen Andrea Muresan and Carrie Trigilio also made an instant impact by earning significant playing time in their first season at UD. Trigilio posted 11 singles victories, mostly at #6 singles, for tops on the team during the spring (one win ahead of Gray). Muresan chipped in with five victories at #5 singles. In doubles, Trigilio paired up with freshman Mackenzie Hoops to see most of the action at #3.

Junior Kara Metzger is expected to make an impact next season after missing this spring's action following elbow surgery in the winter.