Women’s Tennis Eyes SUNYAC Title

NEW PALTZ — The 2002 SUNY New Paltz women’s tennis team will have a mix of experience and youth as they aim for a SUNYAC championship this year. Seniors Megan Crevoiserat (Levittown, NY), and Lauren Marz (Kingston, NY), junior Rebecca Sparacin (Goshen, NY), and sophomores Amie Larson (Port Jervis, NY), Jessica Smith (Newport News, VA), and Kerry Farrell (Rockville Centre, NY) all return from last year’s squad that went 12-5 and set a single-season record for wins. Smith and Farrell advanced to the finals of their respected brackets in the conference tournament a year ago. “The girls had a great experience at SUNYACs last season,” said Head Coach Rob Bruley. “They tasted success last season and now they want it again. We had a great pre- season, and everyone came back fit and ready to go.”

Coach Bruley hopes for big seasons from Larson, Farrell and Sparacin in 2002. Larson ended last season with a school record 16-1 singles record, and Farrell entered SUNYACs as the conference’s number one seed.

Bruley welcomes six fresh faces to the squad that have played stood out in the pre-season. Sara Goldstein (Merrick, NY), Rebecca Sands (Norwich, NY), and Diane Lemanski (Babylon, NY) join the team as freshmen, while Heather Gregory (Matinecock, NY), Rebecca Young (Bearsville, NY), and Gina Ciccarelli (New Paltz, NY) enter as transfers. “The new players make us much stronger than we were a year ago.” said Bruley. “They all have the chance to start and I’m really not sure who the starters will be at this point.”

The season will open this weekend at the RPI Invitational. “We play a very demanding schedule with our first ten matches on the road,” said Bruley. “Eight of those matches are against SUNYAC competition so it will certainly set the tone for the conference championships.”