{"id":1210,"date":"2018-06-26T17:00:16","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T17:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/yearbook\/?page_id=1210"},"modified":"2019-06-30T22:15:01","modified_gmt":"2019-07-01T03:15:01","slug":"tennis-2016-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/yearbook\/2018\/06\/26\/tennis-2016-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis 2016-2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Bethany Vonseggern\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Missouri Western\u2019s tennis team had a tough season with a low overall winning score of 4-15<\/a>. Although competitively the team did not reach its goal and make a statement with regional or national competitions, the Griffons are gaining momentum and looking forward to the coming season. <\/span><\/p>\n

This season was a rebuilding year for Griffon tennis due to four seniors graduating last year leaving this year\u2019s team consisting of five<\/span> freshmen, two sophomores, one junior and one senior student. Second year Griffon Tennis Coach, Shawn Becker<\/a>, acknowledged the challenges that came with having a young team, stating that it was a learning experience as a coach and for his team. The season was spent with new players trying to find their identity in a new group, returning players trying to maintain the identity of an already built team while emerging as leaders and for hi<\/span>m it was managing all the differences.<\/span><\/p>\n

One member of the team who stepped up her role on and off the court was team captain and sophomore student, Sofia Aguilera-Tovar<\/a>. Tovar says that this year was the toughest one she\u2019s had yet at Western. She expressed that with a young team they spent many hours outside of practice working on their skills, making sure they were all academically stable throughout the semester and dealing with unforeseen physical struggles. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to build a lot of confidence with a new team. We had two injured players (our number one and our number two) so I had to step up to number one,\u201d Tovar said. \u201cSo the lineup went up and we were not as strong as we were supposed to be in each spot. We had good matches either way, we had wins.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

During the tough season there were great strides that the players made and Tovar could only see the positive changes that showed from the beginning of the season to the end.<\/span><\/p>\n

Becker also stated that even though the team did not reach expectations record wise, they did improve as individuals. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLooking at the team of the players that stepped up, we had phenomenal wins down the stretch where some of our players were competing and beating top 20 players in this region,\u201d Becker said. \u201cLooking at those matches here and there, that lets me know that we\u2019re okay moving forward, we\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When talking about the future Griffon tennis season, Becker is hopeful. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[Next season\u2019s goal is to] Continue to build on talent, look to get more mentally tough, to find this chemistry that we had as the season wra<\/span>pped up and take that momentum into next year.\u201d Becker said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tovar also stated she is looking forward to next season and seeing the growth that the team has made together. <\/span><\/p>\n

Becker talked with his team about the circumstances that stood against them this year. \u00a0Yet, through those challenges their talent showed and he hopes their mental toughness will stick. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe girls that are coming back are a group of players that I know I am fans of and I know the school is going to be fans of and they are going to be able to get behind them and root them on and that\u2019s exciting,\u201d Becker said. \u201cI think losing 4 seniors last year people didn\u2019t know who we were, but they are going to know who we are.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t