Colorado University Athletics
Brigitte Beck
Photo by: Maggie Still
Strong Doubles Play Leading Buffs Into Pac-12 Tournament
April 23, 2018 | Tennis
BOULDER – With improved doubles play this season, Colorado's tennis team has frequently taken extra confidence into its singles competition, often with the early lead on the scoreboard as a result. The Buffs hope that gives them an advantage heading into Wednesday's first-round Pac-12 Tournament match vs. Washington.
CU has won the doubles point 11 times this year, dropping it just eight times, the best record since going 12-12 in 2010.
"The team chemistry this year has made a big impact on our play," junior Brigitte Beck said. "We've bonded not only as teammates but has friends that truly support each other. We've held each other accountable in practice, match play, workouts, and recovery time in the training room and this has been reflected in our matches.
"The team has put a big emphasis on being aggressive and playing fearlessly. Doubles is such a fast-paced game, and with it only being one set, you have to come out firing with a lot of energy and confidence. Ultimately, self-belief and belief in one another is what has driven our success in doubles."
Beck and Chloe Hule have worked their way atop CU's doubles lineup with a 4-3 record at the No. 1 position after a 5-0 mark at the No. 2 spot forced them to move up. On Saturday against Utah, they earned a 6-0 win over Utah's 65th-ranked duo, the first win over a ranked opponent for a Colorado doubles team this season.
Jeannez Daniel and Ilana Oleynik have taken over the No. 2 position and are 6-5 together this season, while Louise Ronaldson and Kyra Wojcik are the No. 3 pair. Those two clinched the doubles point vs. Utah on Saturday with a 6-4 win.
Winning the doubles point is important as that often gives a team momentum heading into singles and an early 1-0 lead on the scoreboard.
"Having a strong start is incredibly important, and with the doubles being played first, a strong doubles lineup sends the message that we are fired up and ready to take any team down," Beck said.
Head coach Nicole Kenneally has broken down doubles play on film over the past two seasons and has been able to use that to teach the team. The players agree that video has been a huge asset to their games.
"It has helped a lot," Beck said. "It's really difficult to visualize where you are on the court and what you're doing with your movement and strokes without being able to see it from a different perspective. Coach may tell us what she sees from the sidelines, but it really sets in when you can see it for yourself too."
"Tennis isn't a complicated sport," Kenneally said. "People just like to try to make it complicated. [The video] just kind of proves the point that often times it's really about what you do in the beginning of the point. So many people feel like tennis is about the end of the point, but it is really about knowing and being really good at the beginning of the point which allows you to set up for the end of the point. And sometimes the point ends earlier rather than later because you have been very defined on what you are doing at the beginning of the point."
As a result, the focus has been on winning quick points. Beck and Hule's win on Saturday was a perfect example of how quickly play can go in doubles with pairs of aggressive players on each side of the net—they defeated Utah's doubles pair in just 24 minutes.
"So much of it is the consistency of your first serve, placement of your first serve because doubles points really don't go that long," Kenneally said. "We have become a lot more of an active team at the net. I think that's been a big factor. In many situations we are not in a situation where we are just rallying cross-court. We are looking to be more the aggressor and take control of the points on our racket, which is what you want to do and what you should want to do. I think based upon experience some people have become more comfortable in that environment."
CU is definitely a more experienced team this year with seniors Wojcik and Ronaldson as the No. 3 spot, senior Daniel and junior Oleynik at No. 2, and junior Beck and sophomore Hule at No. 1.
PAC-12 TOURNAMENT
The Buffs face off with Washington, a familiar foe, in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament on Wednesday (12 p.m. in Ojai, Calif.). Last season was the first year the Pac-12 has gone to a team format for its conference championship and it was the Huskies who eliminated CU by the score of 4-0 in the inaugural Pac-12 Tournament. Washington won 4-0 earlier this season in the regular season matchup in Seattle.
CU will be looking for its first win over UW since 1991, a losing streak of 12 matches in the series.
CU has won the doubles point 11 times this year, dropping it just eight times, the best record since going 12-12 in 2010.
"The team chemistry this year has made a big impact on our play," junior Brigitte Beck said. "We've bonded not only as teammates but has friends that truly support each other. We've held each other accountable in practice, match play, workouts, and recovery time in the training room and this has been reflected in our matches.
"The team has put a big emphasis on being aggressive and playing fearlessly. Doubles is such a fast-paced game, and with it only being one set, you have to come out firing with a lot of energy and confidence. Ultimately, self-belief and belief in one another is what has driven our success in doubles."
Beck and Chloe Hule have worked their way atop CU's doubles lineup with a 4-3 record at the No. 1 position after a 5-0 mark at the No. 2 spot forced them to move up. On Saturday against Utah, they earned a 6-0 win over Utah's 65th-ranked duo, the first win over a ranked opponent for a Colorado doubles team this season.
Jeannez Daniel and Ilana Oleynik have taken over the No. 2 position and are 6-5 together this season, while Louise Ronaldson and Kyra Wojcik are the No. 3 pair. Those two clinched the doubles point vs. Utah on Saturday with a 6-4 win.
Winning the doubles point is important as that often gives a team momentum heading into singles and an early 1-0 lead on the scoreboard.
"Having a strong start is incredibly important, and with the doubles being played first, a strong doubles lineup sends the message that we are fired up and ready to take any team down," Beck said.
Head coach Nicole Kenneally has broken down doubles play on film over the past two seasons and has been able to use that to teach the team. The players agree that video has been a huge asset to their games.
"It has helped a lot," Beck said. "It's really difficult to visualize where you are on the court and what you're doing with your movement and strokes without being able to see it from a different perspective. Coach may tell us what she sees from the sidelines, but it really sets in when you can see it for yourself too."
"Tennis isn't a complicated sport," Kenneally said. "People just like to try to make it complicated. [The video] just kind of proves the point that often times it's really about what you do in the beginning of the point. So many people feel like tennis is about the end of the point, but it is really about knowing and being really good at the beginning of the point which allows you to set up for the end of the point. And sometimes the point ends earlier rather than later because you have been very defined on what you are doing at the beginning of the point."
As a result, the focus has been on winning quick points. Beck and Hule's win on Saturday was a perfect example of how quickly play can go in doubles with pairs of aggressive players on each side of the net—they defeated Utah's doubles pair in just 24 minutes.
"So much of it is the consistency of your first serve, placement of your first serve because doubles points really don't go that long," Kenneally said. "We have become a lot more of an active team at the net. I think that's been a big factor. In many situations we are not in a situation where we are just rallying cross-court. We are looking to be more the aggressor and take control of the points on our racket, which is what you want to do and what you should want to do. I think based upon experience some people have become more comfortable in that environment."
CU is definitely a more experienced team this year with seniors Wojcik and Ronaldson as the No. 3 spot, senior Daniel and junior Oleynik at No. 2, and junior Beck and sophomore Hule at No. 1.
PAC-12 TOURNAMENT
The Buffs face off with Washington, a familiar foe, in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament on Wednesday (12 p.m. in Ojai, Calif.). Last season was the first year the Pac-12 has gone to a team format for its conference championship and it was the Huskies who eliminated CU by the score of 4-0 in the inaugural Pac-12 Tournament. Washington won 4-0 earlier this season in the regular season matchup in Seattle.
CU will be looking for its first win over UW since 1991, a losing streak of 12 matches in the series.
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