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	Women's Tennis

May 14, 2008
Tennis team competes in hard-hitting national tournament

Amid a tough field of collegiate athletes and steamy weather, Moraine Valley’s women’s tennis team met the challenge head on May 3-9 during the NJCAA Division I Women’s National Tennis Championship in Tucson, Arizona.

Overall, the women took 33rd place. Veteran Amy Gil (Keystone) advanced to the semi-finals in the singles consolation bracket and duo Andrea Body and veteran Christina Madrigal (both from Stagg) scored some team points for the Cyclones in the doubles consolation bracket.

“We played well. We were in a lot of matches and a lot of competitive matches,” said head coach Bill Finn. “The kids played their hardest and did their best in a huge heat environment [where the temperatures averaged 85 degrees]. I’m really proud of the way the girls stepped up and came through this week and represented Moraine Valley.”

The team earned the trip to Arizona after winning the NJCAA Region IV Championship on Oct. 6. During the regular season, which takes place in the fall, the Cyclones put up a 6-3 record and went 4-1 in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference, also earning them the conference title.

Women's tennis team takes first place in Region IV tournament
Cyclones to compete for national championship this spring in Tucson

The women's tennis team—in only its fourth year of competition—has won the Region IV and Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference titles. The Cyclones will travel to the Randolph Tennis Center in Tucson, Arizona, in May to compete for the national title.

The Cyclones secured their national bid by winning the NJCAA Region IV Tournament on Oct. 5-6, a week after capturing the conference crown.

Head coach Bill Finn is excited about his team's performance during the regular season and is aware of the talent his team will face at the national level.

"The girls on this team have a strong work ethic, and they've done a really fantastic job this season of grinding out some difficult wins," Finn said. "The team is really looking forward to competing against some of the nation's best players this spring in Arizona."

The conference and regional champions include team captain Christina Madrigal (Stagg High School); Maren Gausling, a first-year singles player from Germany; Alison Moore and Christina Ocampo (both of Oak Lawn High School), who have played doubles together since high school; veterans Amy Gil (Keystone High School) and Vanessa Chorne (Queen of Peace High School); and first-year players Megan Kallemeyn (Chicago Christian High School), Jennifer Bruno (Richards High School), Andrea Body (Stagg High School), and Aurora Cerulli (Bolingbrook High School).  Body, Gil, Madrigal, Moore and Ocampo earned first-team recognition on the All-Region IV roster, while Kallemeyn joined them on the all-conference roster.

"No matter who we put on the court, our lineup has been competitive all season," Finn said. "I'm proud of the time and effort all these girls have put in this year, both on the court and in the classroom."

This is the third time in four years that the Cyclone women's tennis team has earned the opportunity to compete for the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division I National Championship.

In addition to the team's accomplishments, Finn also earned recognition as the Region IV Coach of the Year, and took conference Coach of the Year honors as well.  This is Finn's fourth season as Moraine Valley's women's tennis coach, and his 24^th year as the college's Athletics director.

"I anticipate this team being one of the top three in Region IV play," said Bill Finn, fourth-year head coach of the Cyclones' squad. "We played with great intensity last season, and I expect this team will show even more passion this fall."

Providing that passion this season will be a combination of fierce competitors, including Maren Gausling, a first-year singles player from Germany studying at Moraine Valley during the fall semester. Gausling will take over the #1 singles position, bringing good ground strokes, court smarts and a competitive edge to the Cyclones. Top recruit Megan Kallemeyn (Chicago Christian High School), is a seasoned tournament player who coach Finn believes will add additional depth to the roster. Finn also expects team captain Christina Madrigal (Stagg High School), a hard-hitting, second-year player, to challenge opponents with her powerful game. In addition, Alison Moore and Christina Ocampo (both of Oak Lawn High School) will continue the aggressive doubles partnership they've shared since high school.

Supplementing the Cyclones this year will be Amy Gil (Keystone High School), a second-year player with experience and steadiness; Andrea Body (Stagg High School), a talented first-year quick-hitter; Aurora Cerulli (Bolingbrook High School), a fundamental first-year player; Vanessa Chorne (Queen of Peace High School), a veteran player Finn describes as a "grinder," who sat out last season after playing for the Cyclones in 2005; and Jennifer Bruno, a first-year player and top recruit from Richards High School.

"These girls are all sharp competitors," Finn said. "We have a very talented line-up, and the battle for spots on the competitive roster will ensure that we have the best players on the court for every match we play."