By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer

Take a poll of students asking them to list the most prevalent sports at APSU and tennis probably would not make the top five on anyone’s list. Some might not even know APSU has men and women’s tennis teams.

However, this season’s Lady Govs tennis team under first year head coach Malik Tabet, are playing well enough this season to change that perception.

Before the 2009-10 season, the Lady Govs had not earned a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference since 2001. This season, the Lady Govs are not only in the tournament, they finished the regular season ranked second in the conference with a 16-3, 8-1 OVC record. According to APSU Sports Information, Tabet is not satisfied with just earning a spot in the OVC tournament for the first time in nine years.

“The women have overcome a lot this season and now our focus is on being prepared for the tournament,” Tabet said. “We still have a few challenges ahead of us and our goal is to win the tournament.”

The Lady Govs will enter the OVC Tournament Saturday, April 17, after finishing the regular season with 11 straight wins. The most recent victory was a 7-0 sweep of Eastern Illinois Sunday, April 11. The last opponent they lost to was Jacksonville State on Saturday, March 6, (3-4). Jacksonville State is the only conference team they have lost to this season. They are also the team ranked first at the end of the regular season with a 13-8, 9-0 OVC record.

While the impressive record has many realizing the tennis courts next to the Foy Fitness and Recreation Center are for more than recreational purposes, there are several names on the Lady Govs seven-woman squad that have the rest of the OVC tennis coaches whispering in fear.

At the top of that list in singles competition is sophomore Vanja Tomic.

Tomic has won 15 straight singles matches. Tomic is currently ranked first in the OVC in No. 1 singles. She is one of two Lady Govs who finished the season with a perfect 8-0 singles record. The other is freshman Carolin Weikard. Weikard has won 11 straight singles matches.

This was both Tomic’s and Weikard’s first season with the Lady Govs. Tomic was part of a Blue Raider team in the Mid South conference that advanced to the NAIA final four last season before becoming a Lady Gov. Weikard played in the European junior tennis circuit while attending high school in St. Leon-Rot, Germany before coming to APSU.

Also turning some heads in singles and providing leadership for the team is senior Mariana Pagan. Last season Pagan had a 4-14 record with only two OVC wins. After a slow start, Pagan has rallied to a 17-4 finish in singles with a 6-2 OVC record. She has gone 8-2 in her last 10 matches and has won three straight singles matches.

In addition to their singles play, Tomic and Pagan are a formidable doubles team. The duo has won 10 straight doubles matches. They finished the regular season with a 14-3, 8-1 OVC record.

The only doubles team more impressive than Tomic and Pagan is the team of Weikard and senior Yuki Nakamura. Weikard and Nakamura are undefeated with a 7-0, 6-0 OVC record. Both teams top the doubles list in the OVC.

OVC Tournament play will take place in Paducah, Ky, Saturday, April 17, to Monday, April 19.

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