Women's tennis struggles to net a win

The UMKC women's tennis team went 1-3 in Summit League play this weekend at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City.

Head Coach Kendell Hale brushed off the lone 5-0 win for the Roos Sunday morning against the IUPUI Jaguars as an insignificant consolation.

"They are not that strong of a team," Hale said. "The first three teams were the ones we needed to do well against."

Friday, the Roos lost 4-0 to IPFW and 4-3 to Western Illinois. Saturday morning resulted in a 4-1 loss against Southern Utah.

The Roos came close against Western Illinois.

The doubles matches were split 1-1, when senior Emily Lindsay and sophomore Chelsea Horner staged a strong comeback, breaking serve and eventually winning 8-6 to take the point.

The Roos also won at the number three and number four singles lines with junior Katherine Rist and Horner.

"We had a chance there in that second one against Western Illinois," Hale said. "That was the one I was very disappointed in. Our girls were fired up to play and it came down to Daniela [freshman Amelunge] at number one. We were tied three-all - it was really close and it came down to three sets and she couldn't pull it out."

The coach is looking to change the situation.

"Hopefully, we'll get them next year," Hale said. "We're in the right direction. It's just going to take a little bit and our girls understand that."

There were moments in the matches against Western when the Roos seemed to be contemplating their shots too much and the coach started muttering.

"I call it paralysis by analysis," Hale said. "When you try to think things instead of making it instinctual - that's one of the things I try to teach the girls. When you start thinking, our body slows down, our muscle movement and everything."

But Hale still had praise for his athletes, and named Amelunge, Rist and Horner as players having put in exceptional efforts.

"Thinking through it and being hesitant is always a bad thing in tennis," he said. "I just want them to go out and play instinctual and you can't over-think something. The only thing I want them thinking about is strategy - not anything technical."

dsimons@unews.com