Jackson, MS-The Belhaven men’s and women’s tennis teams each saw marked improvements in 2009 under first year head coach Levi Patton. The men’s team finished the year with a 6-12 record which was two wins better than the previous year. The Lady Blazers improved on a 2-7 2008 record by reeling off eight wins this spring and finished with an 8-11 overall record. Then men and the women also made it to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals.
The Belhaven women’s tennis team got off to a hot start by winning three of their first four matches to jump out the gate at 3-1. The season started with an 8-1 win over NCAA Division I Arkansas-Pine Bluff and following a loss to Huntingdon College, the Lady Blazers beat conference rival Tougaloo College 6-3 and Co-Lin Community College 8-1.
Belhaven then suffered three straight losses to some very strong opponents. The Lady Blazers lost twice to NAIA perennial power Xavier University of New Orleans and to Mississippi College. Belhaven then got hot winning their next four matches in a row for the season’s longest winning streak. The Lady Blazers pounded Louisiana College 8-1 following by a match sweep of cross town rival Millsaps 9-0. Those victories were followed by a 9-0 win over Rust College and another triumph against Tougaloo 8-1. At that point, Belhaven owned an overall record of 7-4.
The Lady Blazers then hit a rough spot losing their next six matches to close out the regular season. It was the toughest part of the schedule for Belhaven with matches against Jackson State University, Mississippi College, University of Mobile, and Spring Hill College. The Lady Blazers rebounded with a win versus Tougaloo in the GCAC tournament quarterfinals, but fell short in the semifinals against top seeded Xavier University 7-0.
Belhaven was led by seniors Neely Johnson, Mayra Prado, and Lindsey Berg who consistently came through with match victories in 2009. Freshman players Kristen Kelly, Rebecca Riley, and Mary Kris Young all gained valuable experience in their first year in a Blazer uniform. Junior Julia Watkins will return for her senior and along with this past seasons freshman players will provide great experience for Coach Patton in 2010.
The Belhaven men’s tennis team came out of the gate with a 2-2 start in the 2009 season. Following a pair of tough losses to Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Huntingdon College, the Blazers came back with victories over Tougaloo College and Holmes Community College. Belhaven then hit a rough spot losing twice to NAIA power Xavier University and once to Mississippi College.
The Blazers regrouped with three wins in their next four matches which included victories over Louisiana College, Rust College, and Tougaloo College. Belhaven struggled a bit towards the end of the year by dropping their next five contests, but rallied for a win over Spring Hill 3-2 in the regular season finale. The 2009 campaign came to a close in the semifinals of the GCAC Tournament losing to the University of Mobile 5-1.
Coach Patton will have a lot of experience to build on in the 2009 season. Keith Sikes was the only senior on this squad as everyone else is scheduled to return next year. Henry Mandell and Gabriel Prado will be looked upon to anchor the top of the rotation while Josh Sturgis, Harris Brabston, Damien Bone, and Jim Strickland will also be counted on to play key roles in 2010.
“The 2009 season was truly a rebuilding year for the program,” says Coach Patton. “The teams had a combined 14 wins for the year which doubled the amount of wins for the past two years combined and there was a definite movement in the right direction. Interest around the campus and in the community is beginning to rise and all in all the Belhaven men’s and women’s tennis programs are on the rise”, adds Patton.
The 2010 season indeed looks promising for both the men’s and women’s teams with quality returning players and new recruits set to take the program to the next level.