Rams hoping to cause racket in Valley Division

GIRLS TENNIS: Head Coach Al Lozier says progress from match to match will be one of the yardsticks will use to measure his team.

By: Neil Hay
   Coach Al Lozier can only hope that this year’s Hightstown High School girls’ tennis team will improve upon 2000’s 7-13 record (7-12 CVC).
   But with only three starters returning, and not much experience elsewhere, the Rams will be hard-pressed to better that mark.
   As Lozier put it, "This is an ongoing developmental process. In the two weeks we’ve been together (during the pre-season) we are slowly making progress."
   Progress, from match to match and week to week, will be one of the yardsticks Lozier will use to measure this team’s improvement. The CVC is comprised of two strata of teams, with the perennial leaders like West Windsor-South and Princeton at the top. Hightstown is somewhere bunched in with the rest of the CVC schools.
   "Our singles lineup will be competitive with the middle of the pack. The doubles teams will take a lot of work. They are learning to play together from scratch."
   This year the Rams move from the CVC Colonial to the Valley Division. Instead of West Windsor-South twice, now they get Princeton and Hopewell Valley twice.
   "Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Either way you get your poison."
   Lozier’s most experienced players will fill out Hightstown’s singles lineup. Back at number one is senior captain Molly Petrilla, who went 5-15-1 a year ago.
   "I’m hoping her record will improve," said Lozier.
   At second singles is Megan Morrill, who moves up from third singles. As a sophomore Morrill compiled a 9-12-1 record last season.
   In at number three is junior Keren Levine, who was one-half of last year’s second doubles team. In limited singles play last year Levine was 1-0.
   "They are my only players with any experience at all," said Lozier.
   Lozier is tinkering with his doubles teams, looking to find the two most effective combos from four players. One team appears to be senior Linda McGee with junior Jessica Lewis. The other pairing looks to be sophomore Heather Hummel ("She is improving rapidly") and "promising, enthusiastic" freshman Melinda Rosso. However, Lozier has yet to determine which will be number one and which is number two.
   Seven more players ("Basically all novices who are new to the game") round out the squad. They are junior Jennifer Kramer, sophomores Selena Carr, Elaine Press, Kelly Nelson, Jill Lee You, and Brielle Simels, and freshman Sarah Murthy.
   "They are enthusiastic about learning," said Lozier. "It will be interesting."
   The season new began yesterday with the Rams at Steinert.