Spring Sports '90The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, February 28. 19901 1
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DTHJennifer Griflin
Gina Goblirsch is one of just two seniors on the 'SO women's tennis squad
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Talented freshman quartet hopes
to net women's tennis top 20 spot
By ERIC WAGNON
StaH Writer
The North Carolina women's ten
nis team has already shown Southern
Methodist that its 1990 edition may
be stronger than last year's squad.
Despite the graduation of Vanessa
Ames, Spencer Barnes and Ann
Stephenson, this year's squad avenged
a 9-0 loss to the Mustangs last year
by defeating SMU 6-3 on Feb. 17.
Each of the six Tar Heel wins in the
contest went to three sets.
"They really had to dig deep to do
that," UNC coach Kitty I larrison said.
"In all my years of coaching, I don't
know if I've seen us split (sets) on
six (matches) and win all six.
"They have a lot more confidence.
Now, they've just been able to put
that conditioning and drill work all
together and see it pay off."
Harrison, in her 14th season, must
find a way to fill the void left by
Stephenson's graduation at the No. 1
singles spot. Stephenson was a four
year letter winner for the Tar Heels,
but missed part of her senior season
after injuring her ankle at a match in
Provo, Utah. The match against SMU
was scheduled for the day after her
injury, and the impact of Stephenson's
loss may have contributed to SMU's
9-0 romp.
Harrison has brought in a contin
gent of highly-ranked freshmen to
form a team that could break into the
top 20.
"If we continue as we have started
out and fight as hard, then we cer
tainly could be (in the top 20)," Har
rison said.
Freshman Cinda Gurney, a hard
hitter out of Candler, N.C., has quickly
stepped into the No. 1 singles spot.
Gurney is ranked 48th nationally and
sixth in the Southeast Region. She
has also teamed with senior Gina
Goblirsch to form the nation's list
ranked doubles team.
"(Gurney) is perhaps the highest
ranked player that has ever come in
here, that I've ever recruited No.
10 in the Girls I8's (in junior ten
nis)," Harrison said.
Freshman Alisha Portnoy has also
jumped into the top six in singles.
I rtnoy. a baseliner out of Northri Jge,
Calif., is expected to compete in the
No. 3 singles slot for the Tar I leeis.
Portnoy is ranked 29th in the South
east region.
"She is just a scrappy player,"
Harrison said. "She moves well and
just hangs in points. She's not afraid
of three sets. She's just a great com
petitor." Along with Gurney and Gobhsch,
Portnoy and senior Valerie Farmer
make up the other freshman-senior
doubles tandem on the Tar I leel squad.
Portnoy and Farmer went 6-5 in
doubles action during the fall season.
Fanner said that she and Poiinoy
make up an unlikely but effective
team.
"We're the two shortest players
on the team. It's like the Munchkins
or something." Farmer said. "Actu
ally, we do pretty well. We both have
the same type of game. We're both
baseliners. We both need to work on
See WOMEN'S TENNIS, page 14
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