 | The Cavalier daily Tuesday, March 30, 1971 |  |
Netmen Host Spiders
By Hugh Carter
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
The University of Virginia
tennis team kicks off its 1971
season in a home match with
the University of Richmond
today at the Boar's Head Inn
Courts. Winners of 30 of their
last 36 matches over a two-year
span, the netters feature a look
of both youth and experience.
With a winning season and a
first-division Atlantic Coast
Conference finish as their
goals, Coach Gordon Burris's
squad is made up of six
upperclassmen and four first-year
men. In order to realize their goals,
the netmen will have to get top
performances from the
inexperienced freshmen.
Fourth-year man Captain Jeff
Podesta, a third place finisher in the
ACC Tournament at number four
last year, heads the team at number
one this campaign. Doug Waterman,
last year's conference champion in
the number six position, is back as
a third-year man to play number
two. The only other experienced
player, fourth-year man, Bob Kain,
is slated to man the third slot, but
is now suffering from an ulcer on
the cornea of his eye and is out of
competition for about a week.
The last three singles seeds are
filled with players who have solid
potential but as of now are
untested. First-yearman Rick Swift,
a Pennsylvania State High School
champion, is now playing number
four for Coach Burris. Another
first-yearman, Connecticut State
High School winner Jim Radliff, is
scheduled for the fifth spot. And
third-yearman Herb Beskin rounds
out the squad at the sixth singles
position.
Second-yearman Dick Kaspers,
currently the seventh man, is a
strong candidate for singles
competition. While first-yearmen
Frank Spratlin and Jim Blair, and
fourth yearman Steve Hatton round
out the team.
The only experienced doubles
combination is the number one
team of Podesta and Kain. The
other two teams are not set and this
is where problems could arise.
Coach Burris previewed his
team's season by saying, "we will
have a very representative team.
Netters Face U. Of Richmond In Opener Today
Attempt To Improve On 16-3 Record Of Last Year
| The Cavalier daily Tuesday, March 30, 1971 | |