With only one tournament remaining, the Hawkeyes take a look back on the season.

By Mason Clarke
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Sophomore Hawkeye tennis player Anastasia Reimchen has a pretty good idea of what she thought the women’s team was best at this fall.

“Supporting each other, definitely; we were so loud supporting each other while we were playing,” she said. “And just helping each other, on and off the court. We’re always there for each other.”

In a game that many think of as an individual sport, the players have said all fall that their favorite things about this tennis season include team aspects of the sport.

Head coach Katie Dougherty drove the team all fall, and players agreed she has been a positive leader who can always help them out. And Dougherty had positive things to say about the team.

Players and coaches alike have also had many positive things to say about the leadership of senior Annette Dohanics both on and off the court, a leadership that seemed to have helped players better themselves and buy into the idea of competing as a team.

The Hawkeyes squad of 10 represents four countries and comprises four freshmen, an additional new player, and another who is in only her second semester at Iowa.

Yet the players have shown a passion to play together. Practices were filled with perspiration, laughter, and shouts of “Go Hawks.”

The team enjoyed time together, but Dougherty said the Hawks also improved all season, important as the team begins its off-season preparation for the official college season in the spring.

“We got better every weekend that we competed,” she said. “I think we are more comfortable with the no-ad scoring … The quality of our practices has improved, and it’s shown on the weekends.”

The fall tennis season is primarily for improvement.

Prior to every tournament this fall, Dougherty said she hoped to see growth throughout the weekend, and she seems to have received what she wished for.

Before tournament action began, Dohanics said she looked forward to traveling with the new team and getting to know everyone. Now, as the season’s end draws near, Reimchen’s favorite aspect of the fall seems similar to Dohanics’ initial excitement.

“My favorite part of the season … was that I quite enjoyed traveling with the team,” Reimchen said. “That was a lot of fun, and it was a great atmosphere.”

The improvement in chemistry is evident if one takes a look at the statistics.

The Hawkeyes’ doubles teams were not all that successful to start the fall season. In the most recent tournament, however, Iowa displayed the ability to play better together than in individual matches.

The Hawkeyes’ overall singles win-loss record in the last tournament was 1-4. Their overall doubles record was 2-1, with the loss coming in the final round of the tournament.

Iowa will bring every player to its final tournament, the first time all season that everyone on the team will travel together. By the sounds of things, this can only be a good omen for the team.