POMONA-PITZER SAGEHENS
Location: Claremont, CA
Coach: Ann Lebedeff (16th year)
Final 2013 rank: 10
Final 2012 rank: 12
Finished Fall: #10 in Nation & #2 in West
Entered Spring: #10 in Nation & #2 in West
Finished Spring: #9 in Nation & #2 in West
Shivani Doraiswami: #17 in West
Lea Lynn Yen/ Grace Hruska: #5 in West
Mae Coyiuto/Mary Zhao: #14 in West
Key Losses:
Sammy Chao
- ITA West Regional Champ in Doubles and 4th place at National Small College Championships – Semifinalist at NCAA Doubles event lost to Ward/Kuosman of CMS (eventual runners-up)
- half of 1 doubs w/ Lea Lynn Yen, 1 singles; two-time All-American from Taiwan
- Ended career as #45 in nation in Singles, #5 in Doubles w/ Yen
- #10 in West in singles; #2 in Doubles
Rosemary Pelch
- Senior season: Wins over Redlands, Whitman, Midd, Amherst, La Verne, Vassar and Mary Washington in Doubles (mainly with Maddie Gordon)
- Singles wins over La Verne, Bowdoin and Whitman
Arthi Padmanabhan
- Strong doubles wins over Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Chicago, Bowdoin and Redlands (twice)
- Singles wins over Redlands (twice), Carnegie, Bowdoin, La Verne (twice), Middlebury and Mary Washington.
First up: a quick recap of last season:
The Sagehens won two rounds in the NCAA team event before falling (for the third time in 2014) to CMS in the Round of 16. A narrow win over Redlands followed by close 6-3 losses to Johns Hopkins and Chicago lead Pomona into a streak of quality wins over Mary Washington, Vassar, Bowdoin and Carnegie, arguable cementing a Top 12 spot in the country despite a loss to the #12 squad (Chicago). Wins over Whitman, Midd and Redlands (again) after a tight loss to Amherst lead into 8-1 setbacks to CMS and Williams. P-P ended the season on a rocky note with splits against La Verne, a loss to Redlands (7-2? Um okkk) and a win over Whittier.
Moving to the 2014-2015 season…
ITA’s in the Fall was just OK for Pomona with CMS raining on their parade for most of the event. Personally, these results aren’t bad by any means, especially the Runner-Up finish in Doubles. My struggle is deciding who will take over #1 in 2015.
Singles:
Shivani Doraiswami: Quarterfinalist
Emily Chen: Round of 16
Mary Zhao: Round of 16
Grace Hruska: Round of 16
Emily Kuo: Round of 16
Maddie Gordon: Second Round
Mallory Roth: First Round
Julia Greenberg: First Round
Katie Li: First Round
Doubles:
Yen/Hruska: Finalists
Kuo/Chen: Quarterfinalists
Coyiuto/Zhao: Quarterfinalists
Gordon/Doraiswami: Second Round
Greenberg/Hsieh: First Round
Roth/Li: First Round
Schedule Analysis (by month): http://pomona.prestosports.com/sports/wten/2014-15/schedule
February: No matches of grand importance
March: major matches: #19 Redlands, #1 Emory, Trinity (TX), #7 Carnegie Mellon, #6 Bowdoin, #2 Amherst, #30 Vassar, #12 Chicago, #14 MIT, #38 Whittier
Well, hello season. P-P jumps right on into things with a HEAVY month of March. READY, SET, GO. #19 Redlands, Bulldogs are lacking depth for me. 8-1 to P-P. #1 Emory, great contest between these two teams. I think this could be slighty tight in the lower lines and some three setters could arise. However, 7-2 to the Eagles. Trin-Texas comes in next and I see this one as note-worthy because I think the Tigers are on the up and up. They won’t beat the Sagehens, but they will make an impression, 7-2 to P-P. #7 Carnegie, ohhh babyyyy, slugfest waiting to happen. Three-setters galore in this one and I hope I can make it up there to watch. 5-4 Pomona by the slimest of margins. #6 Bowdoin, I am intrigued, the Polar Bears recruited well this year and they look tough. I think the freshman will be the factor here and I am calling 6-3 to Bowdoin. Originally, the match between Pomona and #2 Amherst was a blowout courtesy of Amherst in my mind. Now, I have changed my ways and I am calling 5-4 to the Jeffs. I think Pomona will really grind down a younger, less experience Amerst (The “H” is silent). #30 Vassar will only challenge the tip-top of the lineup, 8-1 Pomona. #12 Chicago was a tight one last year that the Maroons won, this year. I think they will do the same again but by a 5-4 margin. #14 Tech (MIT) will be tough at #1 Singles and Doubs, but the depth is questionable, 7-2 Sagehens. Lastly, #38 Whittier (always gotta give them a shoutout), will fall in this contest 8-1.
April: #5 Claremont Mudd-Scripps, #15 La Verne, THE OJAI
#5 CMS and #15 La Verne always bring their best against Pomona and 2015 will not disappoint. P-P will split these two 5-4 wars, defeating the Leopards of La Verne. The Ojai, a classic showcase of Cali tennis will show some great matches. I am pulling for Lea Lynn Yen to have a big tourney.
May: SCIAC Tournament, NCAA Team and Individual Tournaments
P-P has an interesting season ahead of them. One that could be great, or a great flop. However, I am saying it will be great until the SCIAC Finals with a 5-4 loss to CMS. This will lead them to NCAAs once again.
Proposed Lineup Analysis:
#1 Doubles: Lea Lynn Yen/Grace Hruska
Solid run at ITAs for the young pair, defeating 4 CMS sqauds before losing a tight contest to Ward/Kuosman. I still can’t believe that they faced 5 CMS teams in a row, that’s nuts. Look for a big year from these two, especially with Yen’s history as a doubles player (All-American, ITA Regional Winner)
#2 Doubles: Mae Coyiuto/Mary Zhao
A tough loss to La Verne at ITAs is something to look past for these two, Coyiuto has experience and that cannot be overlooked, Zhao will need to learn from her partner to make this pair successful.
#3 Doubles: Emily Chen/Emily Kuo
The two Emily’s finished with a Quarterfinal appearance at ITAs for their first outing not bad for a young team. Can’t really say more except experience, experience, experience.
#1 Singles: Mae Coyiuto
After big wins at #2 for most of 2014, Coyiuto moved up to #1 for the last three matches of the year. Injury to Chao? Maybe, but regardless. Wins at #2 over Johns Hopkins, Chicago, Midd and La Verne with near wins over Carnegie, a second over La Verne and Amherst show that she is the real deal.
#2 Singles: Lea Lynn Yen
Played an abbrievated 2014 at #3, solid wins over Midd, Whitman, Redlands (twice), La Verne, Amerst, Carnegie, Mary Washington and Vassar. When healthy, she’s lethal and a danger for anyone across the net.
#3 Singles: Shivani Doraiswami
Quarterfinalist at ITAs is a good result and pushing the eventual finalist/Fall Nationals Wild Card recipient in both sets is impressive. I think she will have a big year for P-P.
#4 Singles: Grace Hruska
I put Hruska this high up because I think her doubles success will lead into Singles. Maybe she will be in 5 but I look for her to rock the middle of the lineup.
#5 Singles: Maddie Gordon
Experience is what you need to win at #5.
#6 Singles: Hmmm…..well you have options
Coach Lebedeff has many options here. Go with one of the younins’: Chen, Kuo or Zhao. All made the Round of 16 at ITAs in their first college experience.
I am done with my official previews for the West Region! My next post will be a special one for the ladies of #38 Whittier. Keep an eye out!
See you on the courts,
D3WW