GREENWOOD – The goal of the Lander women's tennis team has been the same since the program was reinstated in 2006-2007, and that's to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Bearcats have come oh so close, and the pursuit begins again when the season opens Tuesday afternoon against Newberry College.
"The last couple of years, we have been right on the borderline," said Brett Simpson, coach of both the women's and men's tennis teams.
"We have just lost some 5-4 matches here and there. We have to find a way to win those matches and a good win over a top team would push us into the Regionals," he said.
The issue for Lander is always its tough Peach Belt Conference schedule, which includes three-time defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic State whom the Lady Bearcats host April 2.
AASU is ranked No. 1 in the preseason national poll this season after posting a 33-0 record in 2010. Also from the PBC, Clayton State in 9th, Columbus State 11th, Francis Marion 13th, Flagler 16th, Augusta State 29th, and Georgia College & State 30th. All are on Lander's 2011 schedule.
Lander had a strong season last year, finishing 12-10 and being ranked No. 32 in the final poll. But it wasn't enough to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
In 2009, the Lady Bearcats finished 12-7, with all their losses coming against nationally-ranked teams. Lander was expecting an NCAA invitation, but it never came. Several players from the 2009 and 2010 teams are back to try again this spring.
"The women's Peach Belt is extremely tough. The competition is fierce," Simpson said. "We have a solid group of juniors who have a couple years behind them now. They know what to expect. They have done reasonably well the last few years and we hope to improve.
"We have the experience. When we get into those tight matches, we will hopefully have the experience to pull a few of them out and get us into the regional tournament. We are an evenly balanced team throughout the lineup. If we put things together, we make some of the top teams worry."
The Lady Bearcats return a lot of experience in senior Melanise Newbold (Freeport, Bahamas), juniors Eliza Adusumilli (Brasilia, Brazil), Nicola James (Melbourne, Australia) and Aurelia Ruffat (Blanquefort, France), and sophomore Brandi Cordell (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.).
Freshman Cayce Bradley (Waldwick, N.J.) is the team's only newcomer and hopes to make a contribution this spring. Sophomore Chelsey Corgan (Deland, Fla.), who also plays on the school's volleyball team, looks to get some experience.
Cordell is Lander's No. 1 player and was team MVP in 2010. Her singles record was 14-6 overall, 7-5 against Peach Belt Conference opponents, and she was 9-4 in the No. 1 singles slot.
Cordell is ranked No. 11 in the latest Southeast Region singles poll, marking the first time in the five-year rebirth of the program that Lander has had any individuals ranked in the region.
"Brandi has been one of our better players for a couple of years," Simpson said of Cordell, who won a singles title at the Chick-Fil-A Tennis Championships at Augusta State in the fall.
Newbold is the team's most experienced player as a four-year senior. She finished 15-4 overall and 9-1 in the Peach Belt last season, and was 5-0 in the No. 5 singles slot.
Adusumilli went 11-10 last year, was 4-7 against Peach Belt opponents, and went 3-5 at No. 4 singles. James was 15-6 overall and 6-6 in Peach Belt matches, going 6-1 in the No. 4 singles slot. Ruffat was 9-13 overall and 3-9 in the Peach Belt.
Doubles pairings are undecided because Lander lost Caitlin Fell for the spring season due to injury. Fell and Ruffat were ranked No. 9 in doubles in the latest Southeast poll.
