University of Houston Athletics
Tennis Opens 2006 Season with Three-Match Homestand
1/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Jan. 27, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston tennis team begins the 2006 season and year two under head coach John Severance with three matches this weekend at Hoff Courts on the UH campus.
The Cougars hook up with Sam Houston State Saturday before taking on Prairie View A&M and Stephen F. Austin Sunday.
"I'm excited to get started and get this season underway," Severance said. "I think the team feels the same way because they're tired of beating up on each other in practice. They are ready to face someone different across the net."
Severance likes the continuity of his doubles teams entering the season opener. Kami Miller and Yolandi Terblanche won the Flight No. 1 Doubles draw at the Seminole Fall Classic back in November to conclude the fall season.
The Cougars also enter 2006 with depth on the singles side. Loli Gomez, the 2005 National Junior College Player of the Year, and Sonja Nikolic, a transfer from Alabama, join a solid returning class in Miller, Terblanche and Brianna Bateup.
Miller notched a 35-5 season during 2005 season. The .875 winning percentage is a Houston record. The Arizona native is already off to an 8-2 start during the fall season.
"I believe that our top five (singles players) are almost interchangeable," Severance said. "I feel comfortable that one through five can win at any spot in the line-up. That's the kind of depth that I've been looking for."
Houston is coming off a 17-10 season in 2005 and has made the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament the last three seasons. The 17 victories were the most registered since the 1997 campaign.
Severance sees the opening weekend with the bigger picture in mind.
"It's the first stretch of matches of a long season ahead," Severance said. "It would be nice to get three wins this weekend before going on the road to face a brutal schedule against three Top 40 schools."
First serve against Sam Houston State is slated for 9am. The Sunday matches with Prairie View A&M and Stephen F. Austin begin at 10am and 2pm, respectively. Admission to Hoff Courts is free for all fans.
