Article By: Alex Mellion

The Suffolk University women’s tennis team recently completed their regular season schedule with a respectable 8-4 record (6-2 in the GNAC), and they now enter the GNAC playoffs with high expectations.
Sophomore and reigning GNAC Rookie of the Year Lauren Cameron finished the season with a 7-1 doubles record with her playing partner, junior Alex Hernandez, and finished with a dominant 9-0 record in singles play, her second straight undefeated season.

“I believe that our team is going to do well in the GNAC playoffs,” Cameron said. “We have improved as the season has progressed. Every player on the team is more advanced now than they were at the beginning of the season.”

The Lady Rams had a great season, losing only two GNAC contests, one at Emmanuel (a back and forth battle, ultimately ending in a 5-4 loss) and the other one to Simmons (which finished a perfect 8-0 in GNAC play). If the Lady Rams continue to build on their regular-season success, they will be a tough team to face in the playoffs.

Cameron doesn’t attribute the team’s success to any one particular individual, saying that they are a team, and the players and the coaches alike helped contribute to their overall success.

“It wouldn’t be fair to singlehandedly pick out the girls who have done well this season,” Cameron said. Being a relatively young squad could either help or hurt the squad in the playoffs, as they only have one senior and two juniors on their roster. The team will look to the more experienced individuals, as well as Cameron, for leadership.

When asked if the Lady Rams have a good chance at winning the GNAC Championship, Cameron replied, “I’m very superstitious and therefore will not concretely say that we will win, but with the team’s chemistry, along with the awesome guidance from our coaches, I believe we have a fair shot.”

Suffolk will likely go into the playoffs as one of the favorites to win, along with Simmons and long-time rival Emerson; if they could get past those two schools, the Rams will have a great shot at claiming the 2009 GNAC championship. While both Suffolk and Emerson finished with GNAC records of 6-2, the Lady Rams finished in second place by virtue of a better overall record and will receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs (as will Simmons, the first-place school).

The playoffs begin today, with Emerson hosting St. Joseph’s (CT), and Johnson & Wales hosting Emmanuel. The Lady Rams’ first playoff match will be on Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m., with the opponent yet to be determined.

Late-round tournament pairings and match times will be announced as early-round matches are completed. A full-tournament schedule will be available later this week at both the Suffolk Athletics Department website (ww.GoSuffolkRams.com) and the GNAC website (www.TheGNAC.com).