Williamsburg -


Season Preview Video

Anik Cepeda
Freshman

April 26

The End Beginning?

Around 12:04 a.m. after agreeing with Marlen that W.A.L.L.E is indeed a bizarre film, I head back to Monroe in my Tribe Tennis sweatshirt, hood raised against the rain. I have my iPod headphones in and I'm jammin' (all cool like) to a bit of Cold Play. It's fairly quiet out and the lamplight gives off a tender orange glow as it hits the "forest" paths on campus. I'm pensive (as you can obviously tell by this wordy book-like beginning) and not entirely sleepy. I should be sleepy. It's 12:04 a.m. for crying out loud! I moved around a bit more today than I have all week?to the cafeteria, over to Marlen's dorm, into CW for Starbucks, back to my dorm, over to Sadler for dinner?sheesh, I really went places today. Off-season is rough eh? Anyways, back to my pensive mood?

So the rain is falling, and I'm walking, and I'm thinking many deep thoughts that no 19 year old should be thinking at 12:04 a.m. I'm wondering if every year will pass as quickly as this one has, and whether or not a new freshman will relieve me of my blog duties in the future. I'm wondering how the Sunken Gardens manages to look breathtakingly beautiful day in and day out, rain or shine. I'm wondering how I ever survived the grueling running of fall season and the heavy schoolwork these Professors so kindly assign each week. I'm wondering what kind of car Nina will bring back to school next year, and if it's a Porsche (please please please let it be a Porsche) whether or not she would consider letting me take it for a spin. I'm wondering how Carmen and Ragini must feel after 4 crazy years and whether or not I too will shed some tears during my own senior speech. I'm also thinking about when the bookstore will have Griffin merchandise, and how big of a stuffed animal I'll want to buy (life size seems like a bit much but?) Yeah, I'm wondering all these things at 12:04 a.m.

And now it's 12:53 a.m. and I've typed most of my thoughts down. For you. For the readers of this blog (how ever many of you there are?Mom? Dad? Meredith? Ok, so 3 people?not bad.) It's been an honor to write the W&M Women's Tennis blog this season. The marathon banquet is done, a dormant affair until next April. We ate the scrumptious food, admired the videos (Carmen, get that video up on YouTube!!) heard the speeches, and clapped until our hands felt numb. Thanks to all who put this event together, one green helium balloon at a time. Lastly a note to our seniors: Richie, Carmen, Ragini, and Kez, you will be missed?not just by us (your teammates) but by your Professors, your coaches, the staff who keep our campus working, and everyone else you have made connections with during your time here at William and Mary. While you four go off and explore the real world, I'm going to stick to my bubble here in Williamsburg?at least for the next three years. Good luck, and as always?GO TRIBE!

Quote Sequences of the Week:

"We're going to have to walk there like little children" ? Me
"Well that's what we are" ? Nina

"The ?Carmen Pop' award?give it to the most positive person!" ? Carmen
"Clearly I'll be winning that award every year" ? Nina

"This time I wish I was a boy" ? Marlen (after failing to find a black dress for the banquet)


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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

April 21

My apologies for posting so late this week/completely skipping last week's blog begin with an excuse. All tennis players are well versed in the realm of finding excuses. Sometimes it's too bright outside, or our shoes are a bit worn down, or this green pollen stuff has us sneezing before making contact with the ball, or the tennis gods just decided to help our opponents paint every line as well as send our perfectly executed shot barely long. My excuse for neglecting the blog duties of last week will be?ummm, let's see...the fact that I was born into a world of 24 hour days. Really though, the past two weeks have flown by and the measly 24 hour days I complain about have felt like 2 hour days. Is it really over? Has my first season come to an end? Wasn't it just yesterday that Tim had us doing lunges until our quads literally sprouted mouths to scream in protest? I will do my best to summarize the past two weeks, reveling on the memorable flashes, the crucial highlights, and the most resonating feelings.

After braving the yellow-green pollen storm at ODU we emerged the dusty victors, ready for our highly anticipated match against VCU. Tribe tennis went all out for this day. (All out = posting fliers, sending Facebook messages, e-mails, texts, and even supplying free pizza to draw in crowd support) Advertising works. Advertising "FREE PIZZA" works even better. Last week's match against VCU contained an atmosphere that I am finding difficult to re-create in print. I think the importance of that match wasn't the three setters lost, nor was it the sweeping of the doubles point. The fact that we had a packed house, full of Tribe Pride, fresh lungs, and pizza-filled stomachs all cheering us on is the crucial point to remember. Playing in that type of setting for your team, among girls with whom you sacrifice so many early mornings, hot afternoons, and long weekends, is an electric feeling. Thanks for all your support everyone. We love it.

The following morning at 7:30 as Nina climbed the fence to tape balloons on the peaks of our seniors' courts, and Lauren showed us all the art of inflating a balloon in record timing, I felt the weight of time. While Marlen and I meticulously wrapped the fence in streamers and Tori and Katie hung the pi?atas, I couldn't help but think forward three years and imagine how I would feel on my own Senior Day. It's one of those feelings that catches in your throat and throws your mind for a spin. Time takes my breath away sometimes. Again, the support of Tribe fans was warmly welcomed on Senior Day as we all played for the two grandmothers of the team ;) Carmen and Ragini, we'll miss you two. A LOT. We hope your Senior Day was everything you wished for and more. I mean c'mon, you each clinched a point, sat with cute little ducky stuffed animals between games, and got to explore your wild inner child fantasy of beating a pi?ata senseless?what more could you ask for? ;)

How about a CAA championship? Yep, a CAA championship would be nice. Yes, nice, but not the pinnacle of why we play for the Tribe, and certainly not defining of who we are as both individuals and as a team. Playing for the Tribe is about more than winning a championship. It's about the sweat and grind of competing for your teammates with every last ounce of energy you have. If you do that, then you win. (I know, I know, this is all sounding extremely cliche and lovey dovey but it's true. So swallow the cheesiness and read on!) The glory of winning a championship is fantastic and mouth-watering to think about at this point. Losing 3-4 to VCU in the CAA finals this past Sunday was the toughest loss of the year. It was a heart breaker to say the least. No amount of "should have", "could have", or "would have" helps. We are all responsible because we are all the Tribe. As much as I love our new mascot (the Griffin), I still feel like a phoenix. We lifted ourselves up after some tough losses this year, and I know that after a week of hot showers and blissful sunshine the bitterness will go away. (Well, maybe after TWO weeks of hot showers and blissful sunshine?it really was a painful loss.)

Regardless of our ups and downs, I love this team, I love competing for this team, and I have loved writing for this team. I'm not saying this is my last post because inevitably something spectacular will happen in the next couple of weeks and I'll be inclined to write about it; however, this is certainly my last post concerning match play. I think I'll give my rackets a bit of a vacation for now and pump up the old soccer ball. Go Tribe!

P.S. ? A couple of noteworthy shout outs this week go to Millie West for having both the men's and women's teams over for a scrumptious dinner. You are an angel and we can't thank you enough for all you do at this school. Also, Tribe tennis would like to thank all the fans that made it out to Norfolk this weekend during the tournament. You guys rock our worlds with your support. Thanks, and GO TRIIIIBE!

Quote Sequences of the Week:

"Oh I will miss Yates?why are you naked?" ? Marlen

"Our 30s are going to be AWESOME!" ? Nina
"Hey, I haven't even hit my 20s yet, tranquila (calm down)" ? Anik

?and a couple of old ones for good measure:

"Dude, your shorts are so leg!" ? Carmen

"She takes so long for her serve to start. I fall asleep every time." ? Marlen

"A sloth is a really slow tree-dwelling animal" ? Ragini
"That you see on the ground and stuff?" ? Carmen

"I'm going to move your hockey sticks to the front" ? stewardess
"Guys, I call goalie!" - Nina

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

April 8
Every week I post a blog which you inevitably read either because you are my mother or because you LOVE Tribe Tennis (and I mean c'mon, let's be honest here, who doesn't love Tribe Tennis?!). Anyways, for the first time ever we are attempting to load a video so that along with riveting words to read, you also have an entertaining clip to watch. The video posted is of our April Fools joke that we played on Coach Meredith, Coach Toni, and the always-enthusiastic Tim. We had been planning this prank, and I'm totally serious when I say this, since the beginning of LAST FALL. It all began during one of our warm up laps before an early morning sprint workout on the turf field next to the courts. As we jogged sleepily, all silently wishing we were taking our "cool down" lap, one of us proposed running through the open gate and into the woods, effectively escaping morning torture. This remark drew a good dose of laughter and quickly became a routine topic each Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. Eventually, it was decided that we would realize this dream of running from running on April Fools. The plot was coined, "escape!" after a particularly memorable line in the movie Finding Nemo. We adjusted the plot to where we would escape during practice, jog to the cafeteria, and help ourselves to some ice cream before making our way back. Mission accomplished! Go Tribe!

Click HERE for the April Fools Video.

Quote sequences of the Week:

"How's your German, is it good?" ? Matt Walton
"My German's perfect." ? Nina

"Have a good night, don't let the dead bugs bite!" ? Carmen
"The dead bugs?! Ewwww, no the BED bugs!" ? Nina

"How are you guys 20?" ? Anik
"I don't know, I don't know how this happened. I just woke up one day and I was 20." - Marlen

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Lights, Camera, aaaand Action!
Anik Cepeda
Freshman

March 30

As soon as I convince myself that I'm actually NOT living in a movie, and the music playing in my headphones as I walk to class is NOT a soundtrack meticulously chosen to represent my life, something dramatic happens and boom, I find myself looking around for the cameras. Like most unexpected miracles in life, the beginning is nothing spectacular. On one side of the net we have Carmen Pop: measuring at 5ft roughly 8 inches, long brown hair, a sweaty red head band, suffering from what appears to be a pulled muscle. On the other side we have?oh geez I'm bad with names?well anyways, we have her opponent: Boston University. The two appear to be embarking on what tennis talk calls a "tie-break" in which the first to reach 7 points wins. Marlen and I lean over the fence and reassure Carmen, "It's just 7 points Pop, you got this, only 7 points."

Approximately an hour and 54 points later Carmen has fallen to the ground from cramps, Marlen has collapsed from anxiety, and all of Tribe tennis is shuffling about in a muffled state of awe. No no, this can't be true. There is no way we just watched our teammate suffer through 54 points just to lose a second set TIEBREAK and consequently, the match. It's all a blur now?the switching of sides, the screams of triumph when we held off match point after match point after match point, and the grimace of losing set point after set point after set point. And note, I said, "we". Because although Carmen was the actual "sufferer" on the court, physically running down each ball, mustering the strength to serve, managing to paint the lines, "we" suffered right along with her. I felt like 7 other tribe tennis girls and dozens of other fans played the tiebreak of their lives on Saturday. And I saw the most creative superstitions arise in a matter of minutes. "Every time I put my hat inside out she wins the point" or even "I just need to grab onto your sweatshirt and we'll be ok". Yeah there are certainly times in life when I wish grabbing onto someone's sweatshirt will make everything turn out just fine. How sweet would that be? (Note: The tiebreak was so long that even the officials watching lost track. Several observers confirmed later the actual score was 26-28 instead of the recorded 22-24.) So just when I felt that my life was real again and not part of some fantasy movie preparing to hit the big screens in May of 2010, this completely unbelievable tiebreak happens and I'm left scratching my head, wondering where I am and how I have come to stand where I am standing.

Present to witness this William and Mary record-shattering tiebreak were the Sabacinski family. Lauren put on a stellar performance this weekend, going 4-0 while her family cheered her on. I guess good things happen when the Momma is around huh? Vaaamooooos! Keep ballin' Ski! Another highlight of the weekend was most definitely the 10x10 base tennis ball pyramid that was built in honor of "Kids Day" on Sunday. (Tim, that was the single greatest idea ever seen through to the very end?way to be disciplined Tribe!) Whoever had the honor of hitting that target definitely loves tennis now, and always will. How could you not?! Anyways, it would be nice if on slower frumpy sad days we all had our own GIANT tennis ball pyramid to destroy. I know that would do the trick if I lost a tiebreaker 26-28?Carmen I'll start building one right away;) Great effort Pop, along with playing one of the longest tiebreakers ever, you also managed to inspire a great deal of people. (Aaaand give me blog writing material! Thanks!!)

Quotes Sequences of the Week:

"Marlen are you okay?" ? Me
"Yeah, my legs are confused" ? Marlen (after running for an hour with Tim?love you Tim!)

"I'm having such a hard time finding good quotes because everyone is being so inappropriate lately" ? Me

"Alright we're playing doubles today" ? Meredith
"You're going down!" ? Pop
"Pff, are you joking? Doubles is my specialty" ? Nina

"I will destroy you" ? Katie
"That sounded so cool!" - Marlen

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

March 15

During one of Ragini's changeovers Tori, Lauren, Katie, Carmen, Marlen, and I crane our necks to try and catch a glance of the scoreboard on Nina's court. She's up 5-4 in the second set?we give a nervous sigh of relief. Up 3-2 against Wake Forest, we desperately need for Ragini to close out her match or for Nina to win the 2nd set and take it to a decisive 3rd. This win is OURS. We follow every single one of Ragini's strokes?boom! Make backhand big! Vamooos G!! On my left Tori is bouncing on the toes of her feet whispering, "Just breathe, in and out, just breathe". To my right, Marlen is trying to calm Carmen who has resorted to pacing in random circles with her arms on her head, occasionally covering her eyes and making fidgety motions with her hands. I can't decide whether to chew a hole through the towel draped over my head or follow Tori's lead and focus on breathing. A cheer erupts from the stands on Nina's court. I distinctly hear my father's yell?set for Nina. Here we go Tribe!! Moments later Ragini, amidst our silent prayers to the tennis Gods, victoriously claims the tiebreaker in the second set and consequently clinches the win over Wake Forest. We're all giddy smiles as we watch Nina play out her third set.

The three matches we played this past week was a positive start to our stretch of outdoor home matches. Securely beating ETSU was a perfect example of taking care of business, winning against Wake Forest proved we can conquer pressure, and playing Duke showed that we belong at the top. No matter the rank, the size, or the name of the team, we can and will compete to the best of our abilities. (I mean geez, I played two girls who easily could be measured at 6ft and the only real issue I faced was lobbing them at the net; which I quickly found out was a very very very bad idea.) With the support of Tori's brother's friends, a couple of awesome Professors, Marlen's mother and sister, and my fantastically loud family, I couldn't imagine a better crowd watching the matches. Really though, the fans is what helps us reach limits we'd otherwise consider unreachable. So thank you for every whistle, scream, cheer, under-your-breath-coaching in Spanish, and enthusiastic clap you send our way. It helps more than you know. (Besides, when people are watching our matches, we tend to behave more respectably?rope in the language a bit, throw back the shoulders, and keep the head up.)

This week was about walking the talk. Give a little love to yourself each day and all of the sudden your glass is half full. (After eating out every night with my family more than just my glass was half full?) A perfect example of walking the talk was the doubles match Carmen and I played against Duke. We were hungry for revenge, and absolutely sure of victory. It wasn't a matter of IF we made the shot but WHEN we made the shot. WHEN Carmen hit her T-serve, I was going to poach. WHEN I hit my return deep cross-court, Carmen would cut off the next shot. Execution was the focus and the key to our match. I dub this small victory the most enjoyable of my college career. (Pop, let's keep ballin'!!)

Tribe tennis still has many matches left to play and thus many hours left to work on our farmers tan. Now our poor feet will be forever mistaken for socks?tis the life of a tennis player. Unless you live in another state (Mama and Papa, and Marlen's family?if it was in our budget to fly you to every match we would) I want to see you at the outdoor varsity tennis courts Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and again Sunday at 11:00 a.m. as we take on Boston University and Memphis respectively. GO TRIBE!

Ps ? At the Provost Awards banquet this past Thursday my guest, Professor John Chesley, failed to have his name mentioned as I walked to collect my award. To make up for this grave mistake I decided a shout out in the blog would be the least I could do. Remember John Chesley. (Other distinguished academic achievers for the team were Ragini, Lauren, and Marlen. Way to go Tribe!)

Quotes of the Week:

"Hey, look at this?it's nuevo" ? Lauren (said in a luxurious voice)

"What are you trying to embarrass me because that's not embarrassing because everyone does that" ? Me

"You hit the wall" ? Me
"I hit the wall a long time ago" ? Nina
"Dang, you hit the wall in Art History" ? Me
"No, I hit the wall in November" ? Nina

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

March 15

For 7 miserable hours we sat packed in the Tribe van like a family of naughty children told to keep quiet by their frazzled mother. No cell phones for 7 hours. Yes, to those who just re-read the last sentence?it's true. A disappointing loss to the Princeton tigers rightfully deserves a lengthy reflection free from technology and other distractions. We fought so hard for the doubles point only to lose 5 of the 6 singles matches. (Carmen, as per-usual echoed her belief throughout the underground tennis facility but the rest of us fell short of our expectations.) But 7 hours?and no phone?! In retrospect, the silence that accumulated on the ride home from Princeton created a storm of tension that ironically brought us together. This was good news for the Tribe since we would be spending the next week living with each other in Puerto Rico. So again, out of the rubble we rose, dusted off, and prepped for the outdoor season.

Our search for sun, relaxation, and a new beginning began in a downpour of rain at the San Juan airport. For the first couple of hours in Puerto Rico, we carried the sun inside us. We excused the flaming ball of hot gas and put our cameras to work. Click* A shot of Nina wearing her cool headphones?in Puerto Rico. Click* A shot of the seniors smiling brilliantly?in Puerto Rico. Click* A shot of the coaches searching for the enterprise shuttle?in Puerto Rico. Click* A shot of a stop sign?in Puerto Rico. (Something about seeing Spanish writing on typical street signs was thrilling for a couple of the girls, ahem Lauren...)

The favorite response to practically every question on this trip quickly became, "Ah, Puerto Rico". I'll give you a couple of examples to clarify in what contexts we used these words?after every one there is an understood, "Ah Puerto Rico" that ensues. Go ahead and make it interactive, say it out loud to yourself using a variety of inflections. (I guarantee you'll feel uplifted.)

* "Doesn't this rain smell so tropical?"
* "Are those?palm trees?!
* "Yikes, I hope coach didn't see that shot."
* "Wow, take a look at that body?"
* "Ehm, did you forget to put sunscreen on?"
* "Shake it, there's really coconut milk inside!"
* "It's been a while since I sweated this much."
* "So the four foot iguana on our court is actually a native lizard?"
* "Are you off to find the rope swing that hangs from a palm tree and releases you into the clear, warm, glittering ocean?" (Seriously though?that's the kind of beauty we held in our bubble of paradise the past week.)

The first day of practice outside brought back sweet memories of the outdoor play we're all accustomed to. Up goes the feed for the overhead and, why hello again blinding sun! The slices hang in the air for what seem like minutes and every deep ball gives you the satisfaction that you've actually accomplished something in terms of gaining court position. Hit a ball over the fence and you're jogging through palm trees, dodging lizards, and wondering how many coconuts you can sneak into your suitcase without getting caught. Ultimately, playing outside brought relief. Goodbye indoor twilight season! Ah, Puerto Rico.




Of our match against Notre Dame I will say this: Nina, did you break 3 or 4 balls during your victory? If only 3, then you're not hitting hard enough. And Carmen, I just got a call from Webster's Dictionary?they want permission to use your name under the definition of belief. (Wait to throw the tomatoes, I know that was cheesy, but I've always secretly loved that joke.) So a 5-2 loss to one of the top teams in the nation?and the best part is that we can do better, because we are better. I mean, if Nina can break a coconut and extract its milk with a spoon and her bare hands then we can beat the teams that we've been so close to winning. (Nina, if I was stranded on a desert island I'd want you and that spoon with me.) On Thursday, a bit of rain ended our match against Duke, and we fortunately were able to reschedule for this next Sunday here at home. Note: For clarification purposes - the entire match will be replayed, including doubles. This is NCAA regulation?something about having to finish the match within 2 days of its initial start date otherwise everything must be replayed. Anyways, regardless of the unfinished match, we enjoyed an evening exploring old San Juan and its rustic lamp lit walkways, cobble stone streets, and rich history. One of Coach Meredith's friends Javier, a past successful junior tennis player and present pro at Las Palmas del Mar tennis facility, was kind enough to show the Tribe around the city. Javier, muchas gracias!! Te hechemos de menos!!

Whether it was Carmen whipping up a couple of egg and cheese sandwiches for the team after our loss against Notre Dame, or Nina sketching a picture of Carmen and Katie from the thousands we took on the beach, this trip was about us, the Tribe, together. It was about Lauren and Ragini selflessly pouring their sunscreen into everyone's open hands, (my neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and face are forever in your debt). It was about Toni shuttling us around the center singing the Mario Kart racing song keeping us all in fits of giggles. It was about Marlen changing her order for the 5th time at the Chinese restaurant after carefully assessing her teammates orders. It was about Tori always having her hand out for a high five, even when your last seven practice serves landed out. (Shoulder turn Anik, shoulder turn!) Puerto Rico was about 10 Tribettes coming to the realization that life is good, especially when surrounded by your friends, competing in a sport you love, with the beach at your doorstep. Go Tribe!

Quote Sequences of the Week:

"Can you make that voice?" ? Ragini
"Yea, but it hurts my throat a little bit?" ? Carmen
"It's okay" ? Ragini
"Oh okay, yeah hurt yourself hurt yourself!" - Carmen

"It's 70 to 70!" ? Tori
"Who's winning?" - Ragini

"Fifa 98?my boys and me would play it all the time." ? Marlen

"Ragini in a bottle" - Meredith

"Oh it's hott?....And you can't drink the water?...ha, that sucks." ? Lauren (after Carmen tried the super spicy salsa)

Anik Cepeda

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Bananas, tigers, and trail mix = Tribe on the Road





Anik Cepeda
Freshman

March 2

I'm beginning to think that the rigorous fitness regimens our coaches put us through every week are specifically geared towards airport travel. How fast can the Tribe get from concourse A to concourse B? Pretty darn fast. You think we run stairs to gain explosiveness in our shots? Nope. That is exclusively for climbing multiple sets of escalators with less than 5 minutes until take-off. You think we run lines to quicken our foot speed on the court? Nope! How else are we going to bust it down to gate 37 (coincidentally the last of all the gates) when we are currently at gate 2? And finally, you think we lift weights to add power and strength to our game? Again, nope! How else are we able to carry a box full of 8 chocolate milks and 8 waters in speedy fashion to our next flight? As proved by the Tribe this past weekend, airport travel is a team effort that requires training, a good amount of cheering, and just the slightest bit of deliriousness.

I'm not quite sure what was more hysterical: The 7lbs of trail mix we bought at an airport kiosk because we lacked the time to buy a proper meal (I've never tried so many varieties in one sitting), or the bananas Coach Meredith substituted for telephones at approximately 11:00 p.m. on our way back from the frosty state of Wisconsin. Thankfully, the deliriousness we felt on the way back was a good sort of deliriousness. The kind that says, "we just beat Wisconsin 4-3 and ate our brains out at Whole Foods". I was sure we had the doubles point in the bag as soon as Marlen performed her Michael Jordan Miracle shot over the shoulder flying smash that landed in an obscure corner of the court, but alas it was not meant to be. Several Wisconsin fans expressed their disbelief at such a shot, claiming it must be a personal best. No, Wisconsin fans, we know it's insane, but Marlen owns that shot and hits it on a regular basis. Welcome to the miracle that is Marlen. Anyways, despite dropping a tight doubles point, the Tribe responded beautifully in singles and that is easier said than done.

Ragini took care of business on court 1, followed closely afterwards by Marlen and myself. Then, as per usual, Carmen continued her golden singles streak by clinching the match for the Tribe. Vamoooooos! Keep it rolling Pop. One court over, Lauren battled through her 3rd tiebreak of the day. That has to be a record of some sort, 3 tiebreakers?! Lauren, let's stick to 2 or less in the future. ;)

All in all it was a secure victory made even more special by the entire Kargl family, who made the drive to watch some Tribe tennis. Our fans make what we do on the court worthwhile, and so I'd like to thank them for supporting us. (P.S. ? The biscotti was amazing!!! I'm so glad Katie was in my car on the way back to the airport!!) Seeing as we have midterms this week, and I've got about a dozen more Tribe quotes to add to the books, I'll end this blog on a final personal note. This goes out to my teammates: To the window, to the wall! I can't think of a better group to be delirious with on trips. Go Tribe!

Tribe Quotes of the Week:

"This ought to be nice and clean, not at all carcinogenic" ? Nina (before bending over to take a sip of an airport water fountain)

"You look like Sacagawea this morning" ? Me
"No, that's inappropriate. I look like Pocahontas not Sacagawea" ? Ragini

"You can't laugh on commando" ? Pop

Anik Cepeda

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

Feb. 25

How many champions have stood exactly where I stood last Sunday? Too many, no, in retrospect not enough. Visiting the Tennis Hall of Fame in Rhode Island was an eye opener. Creative and talented individuals are few and far in-between, so to witness the grandest collection of tennis gods all packed in one museum was both awesome and exciting. And yet, there lacked a believability to it that I realize is this: We regard the champions in the Hall of Fame as untouchables. They were indeed the best of the sport, the talented, the passionate, the elite who won more than the rest. The elite who won more than us. But that is where I think our own believability is missing. Those champions are not untouchable, in fact, they are reachable within our domain as players and as people. In other words, becoming a champion like the ones whose pictures line the walls of the Hall of Fame may seem to be an unbelievable prospect, but I think otherwise.

When we tap into our best selves on the court, when we throw out everything possible to our opponents, when we hold sportsmanship above all else, when we dare to serve and volley on big points, when we go for the second serve ace down 30-40, when we challenge our opponents to bring their best game to the table, when we sacrifice every last drop of energy for the team, when we try the ?tweener' (just kidding Meredith!), it is then that we become artists comparable to the legends in the Hall of Fame. Champions are more than the sum of their accomplishments, which is why I view the Hall of Fame with mixed emotions. I definitely believe all who made the Hall of Fame are well deserving of that honor, but I also believe there are millions more who should be among them.

We have all the tools to be among the legends. We have the support of our coaches, our parents, our fans, and most importantly our teammates. We all have good intentions and pure hearts. As far as having the raw material, what more could we ask for? (Seriously though, we've even got the looks.) So to the Tribe I will say this, let's prove that we are indeed champion material. We were told today, "Champions are willing to do the things they dislike to create something they do like." This team is composed of fairly intelligent individuals. (I mean we go to William and Mary c'mon!) We do the extra work to look nice in a swimsuit and score high grades on tests, so why not do the same on the court? (By the way, we are definitely going to be looking good in our swimsuits for Puerto Rico! Ow owwww!)

I realize I am a freshman and that I have many years to discover the champion inside of me, but why wait? Why should any of us wait? (And by "us" I mean both Tribe tennis, and any reader of the blog, you are all champions or champion material.) Let's tap into the magic that Meredith and Toni say we have. Because being positive is as contagious as being negative, and the consequences of surrounding yourself in a negative cloud dampens the pathway for others to find their greatest self. Likewise, a positive aura can inspire the spark within us and give light to a world of potential we all have.

In conclusion, I'd like for it to be known that Tribe tennis is officially reborn. I know, again I'm pulling all the cheesy stops in this blog, but hey, there's no other way to put it. Well, actually, there probably is, but those remarkable journalists are somewhere writing in a pent house for the New York Times sipping on Chai Tea in a giant love seat with a panoramic view of the statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. Anyways, this team knows that a "set back is only a set up for a comeback". Last weekend we were set back. I think you know what to expect next. BELIEF. COHESION. ENERGY. Go Tribe! ;)

And to lighten the overbearingly serious tone of the blog I'll end, as always, with some tribe quotes:

"Shank you" ? Ragini
"Sh-your welcome" ? Me
"?Shokay" ? Ragini

"Seriously you're a cat. You're fast?you've got the sharp eyes, you've got the moves." - Marlen

"Dude, your shorts are so leg." - Carmen

Anik Cepeda

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

Feb. 17

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I thought to briefly address the subject of Tennis and Love. First of all, it's a complicated relationship. Naturally, some days you leave the court utterly breathless, thinking, "wow, I love you Tennis". Then the next day you swing back to ruthless frustration, certain that, "Tennis brings out the worst in me." (I find taking a day apart from Tennis after one of these skirmishes particularly refreshing.) The truth of the matter is: We love Tennis. Despite its jarring double faults, missed swinging volleys, poor drop shots, and obnoxiously long rallies ending in a put-away volley you miss in the bottom of the net, Tennis is fantastic. (I understand many of you attribute a sarcastic tone to the word ?fantastic', but I honestly mean grand, awesome, and wicked cool.) So on this Valentine's Day, when you're telling the people you care most about how much you love them, don't forget about Tennis.

Now to address the feature story of this week in Tribe Tennis?TRIBE BEATS (I think dominates is a more appropriate word here) #27 ranked FIU 6-1!!!! For seniors Ragini and Carmen, yesterday's match against FIU was their last indoor home match playing for the Tribe. Heartbreaking, I know. The important thing to note is that both seniors left the courts with perfect records for the day. Ragini decided to give her opponent a bit of false hope in dropping the second set after having two match points before squaring her away in the 10-point tie-breaker. Meanwhile, Carmen reeled off 8 straight games to go up 6-4, 5-0. (Yikes, I wonder how her opponent was feeling about Tennis at that point in the match?I think we can safely assume the two weren't on speaking terms.)

All around, the Tribe put in a stellar performance. Lauren won her match in TWO sets and never trailed in either one. Marlen saved set points again for about the 3rd straight week. (I'm almost positive this is a tactic of hers?) One court over, Nina brushed off an inconsequential first set to steam roll her girl 6-1 in the second. In the time it took her to win the second set I ate a power bar, gave Coach Meredith's sons Jet and Cash a ride on my feet, and blinked approximately 4 times. (Exaggeration is a trait of mine that can be traced back to my amazing mother?thanks Mom, I learn from the best!) Then Katie, bringing forth her usual "Rocky" spirit, battled back from down 2-5 in the second to claim the set 7-5, and lose a nail-biter in the 10-point tie-breaker for the third. It was a remarkable comeback driven by guts and a "refuse to lose" mentality. Ultimately, yesterday's win was a sound victory, and we hope to carry this performance on the road with us next weekend when we take on Yale. As always, GO TRIBE!

Quote Sequences of the Week:

"Oh what a coincidence that I have this little darling here?oh, look at that." ?Marlen (upon discovering her Ipod was inside her coat pocket)

"Yeah, I started a few days ago. We are just getting to know each other." ?Marlen (discussing her new obsession with cafeteria grapefruit)

"If you could have any superpower what would it be?" ? Pop
"Hmmmm, teleportation." ? Marlen
"Ewww, I wouldn't want to know everything!" - Pop

Anik Cepeda

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

Feb. 8

Imagine this: Carmen Pop, her knees almost touching the ground, bowing religiously at my feet amidst an uproar from the crowd. We are NOT in South Africa, and I did NOT just score the winning goal for Spain, so this is definitely NOT soccer. Ladies and gentlemen, fellow readers of the blog, Tribe Aces, Professors and recruits, this is Tribe Tennis.

The biggest moments come during the tightest of matches. We work our tails off every week for these moments. In fact, I'm seriously starting to think Marlen rather enjoys fighting back from 1-5 down just to experience the adrenaline rush, as well as challenge the nerves of our coaches. (Marlen, there are other ways to get your heart pumping, have you ever heard of roller coasters?) ;) The point is, whether it's Carmen spreading her arms in mock flight to celebrate a particularly brilliant lob, Lauren outlasting her opponent in a rally long enough to tie and untie your shoes 15 times, or Nina hitting yet another ESPN worthy shot, Tribe Tennis is about more than winning. We proved this during our match against Ohio State, and even more so AFTER our match against Ohio State; because lifting yourself up out of the dirt and moving forward takes a good deal of grit, grind and guts. (I'd like any and all English teachers reading this to note my use of alliteration in the previous sentence.)

As always, keep a close eye on our schedule. We take on Florida International next Saturday the 13th here at home. So save your voice, do some stretches, and by all means go as crazy as you'd like, because this is Tribe Tennis. Go Tribe!

Old quote sequences:

"This conversation's too fast for me! This conversation's too fast for me!" ? Marlen

"Could you be a little more careful with your line calling? Because when I hit a winner, I like to win the point." ? Nina

Anik Cepeda

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

Feb. 1

The definition of Tribe Pride was unveiled on Georgia Bulldog territory this past Saturday. Out-fought, out-competed and out-energized, Georgia escaped by the hair on their wrinkly Bulldog skin. This was the first legitimate dual-match thrill of the season and after one taste we're thirsty for more.

We came out of the huddle pumped and LOUD. Katie and Marlen made a spectacular effort to win their doubles match through a series of deft lobs and gutsy down-the-line winners. Meanwhile, Carmen and I managed to fend off two match points and storm back to tie the doubles at 7-7. The experience was a mix of utter exaltation, pounding adrenaline and simple enjoyment; all of which ended in a tight 9-7 loss to drop the doubles point. How can tennis be so fun, and yet so crushing? (If you do know the answer to this question, please enlighten me.) Regardless, the obnoxious barking by the Georgia fans grew increasingly less ferocious as the singles matches tightened in approximately hour 18 of this marathon match. (Ok, so the match lasted 5 hrs and 10 min, but it only felt like 18 hrs.)

Honestly though, we brought the heat. Whether it was Ragini crushing a passing shot on the run, or Nina stunning her opponent with one of those "oh soooo good" backhands that I dream about hitting every night, we brought the heat. Carmen also brought the heat in the form of a slice backhand clinic. Can Federer even hit backhand slice passing shots against his opponents? I am inclined (as a Nadal fan) to think not. Marlen, not to be outdone, decided to give her opponent a healthy 5-0 lead before rattling off 5 straight games to tie the set. Apparently Marlen is fond of this little trick of hers so she repeated the act in the third set, coming back from 5-1 down to absolutely stun the Bulldog 7-6. Perhaps as equally impressive as Marlen's comeback was the fire that pushed her there. Three courts away, in the midst of my second set I could feel the energy of the Tribe willing Marlen to victory. (I am painfully aware at how cheesy and poetic this is all sounding, but I know of no other way to explain the tension and emotion this match evoked.)

Then, as expected, the match came down to the last two standing. Between points I'd glance over at Lauren's match to watch a dozen strokes. Three points later I'd look over again and realize that one dozen strokes had turned into four dozen strokes in a battle that can only be described as a beautiful hard hitting grind fest. Unfortunately, as Lauren closed out the second set after dropping the first, I caught the dreary end of a couple questionable (and when I say questionable, insert any word synonymous with horrendous) calls and fell 6-4 in the third. It's all a blur now, but then the moment was magnificent. Lauren is literally running lines with her opponent while I'm hanging on by my fingernails determined never to lose grip. It was a match I will certainly never forget, and a team effort destined to fuel our energy for the rest of the season.

I also think it necessary to mention the previous match in which we took care of business against Georgia State. Revenge is sweet, and I'm glad Lauren, Ragini, Carmen and Katie repaid their previous loss to Georgia State with a decisive 5-1 victory on Friday.

All in all, I saw enough of Atlanta for one semester. (Tori, Ragini, Toni and I were lucky enough to stay TWO extra nights in this super cool city thanks to some lovely weather.) The important part is that Tim and Coach Meredith's husband, Matt, were brave enough to pick up half of the Tribe Saturday night in D.C. A foot of snow was not enough to stop Tim from playing pick-up driver once again Monday morning. (This guy is just unstoppable!) Anyways, I had figured after last week's lengthy blog that I wouldn't be writing a whole lot this week. Oops. A short recovery is all we'll need to stay fresh for our match against Ohio State this Friday at 4:00 p.m. at the McCormack Nagelson Tennis Center.

I promised Nina to end with a few tribe quotes again this week(sheesh, I'm such a push over!). Go Tribe!

Quote Sequences of the Week:

"People are driving slow!! That's not road rage, that's just a statement." ?Toni

"You put two Splendas in your coffee?!" ? Toni
"Why, should I put more?" ? Carmen

Anik Cepeda

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

Jan. 25

The morning of Jan. 22 began like most away trips. We pile almost wordlessly into a big white van and automatically plop in the ear buds to our iPods, not quite registering that the dashboard clock reading 6:58 a.m. is in fact accurate, and that we are not in the midst of a deep sleep. Nina was sporting her new around the ear headphones that she received as a team gift and may I say she was looking quite hip. Meanwhile, I fell asleep to the lull of Train's latest musical hit while Marlen Mesgarzadeh felt that my lap was a more suitable pillow than the van seat. And thus began our journey to the frosty city of Evanston, Illinois to play Northwestern University.

The highlight of the flights, hands down, occurred when our flight attendant promptly informed Tribe Tennis, "I'm going to move your hockey sticks to the front." Well darn it Meredith, I forgot my ice skates! I don't know if we laughed harder then, or at Katie's face 10 seconds later when the flight attendant shoved a suitcase in the compartment where Katie thought her rackets were stowed. Careful with those hockey sticks ma'am!

Although we suffered a tough loss to Northwestern the next morning, I have to mention one particularly well fought match. Marlen played outstanding, pushing the Wildcat to her limits. I had front row seating seeing as I played right next to her (Meredith don't worry, I was totally focused on my match, and besides, this generation is the generation of multi-tasking.) It was fitting that Marlen played so well, since it was her 20th birthday. Happy Birthday Marlen!!! Ok, now I really do feel like the baby. Like I mentioned last week when it was Nina's birthday, if you spot Marlen in the next couple of days make sure to give her a nice big high-five (with the left hand of course, we want to keep that precious right wrist in mint condition).

Besides changing our connection, running through O'Hare airport, and making our new flight at the last possible second, we had an uneventful trip back. A special thanks goes out to Tori Ford's mother, Tim (our enthusiastic volunteer assistant who loves fitness as much as I love sleep), and Lauren's roommate Morgan for picking us up at the Norfolk airport late Saturday night. Without you we would still be in Norfolk and perpetually stuck in an airport the size of my dorm.

Moving away from tennis, the team's latest project includes participating in "D.O.T." which is a sustainability campaign at William and Mary. "D.O.T." stands for "Do One Thing". The goal is to live more sustainably by the efforts of lots of small individual deeds. (It could be as small as printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.) To cut back on the plastic cups we trash during practice, we've made it a team "D.O.T." to buy re-usable water bottles, so that at the end of the day, not a single plastic cup is thrown away. (Yes, I am aware that rhymes.) Coach Toni will also take our old shoes to the Nike outlet where they will be sent back to Nike manufacturing and reused. Also, all tennis cans and old balls will be recycled. Furthermore, we'll be joining in the relief effort for Haiti by collecting t-shirts and chipping in at least one dollar along with the rest of the student-athlete body. These projects are just a small bit of what it means to play for the Tribe. We play for something bigger than ourselves. Keep up with our progress this next Friday and Saturday when we head down to Georgia to kick some butt! Go Tribe!

Quote sequence of the week:

"Ragini, you like the Spurs?" ? Me
"Yeah, I like the Spurs." ? Ragini
"Oh I didn't know you liked football." - Carmen

Anik Cepeda

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Anik Cepeda
Freshman

Jan. 20

For some, when the alarm clocks went off this past Friday morning around 6:45 a.m. it was a last first. It was Carmen Pop's LAST first fist pump of the season playing for the Tribe. (I dare say it was perhaps one of the finest fist pumps ever witnessed, but that may be because I was her doubles partner.) One court over, it was Ragini Acharya's LAST first volley winner of the season that officially kicked every Tribe Ace's adrenaline into full throttle. (She may have perfected the art of closing in on the net, which is quite unfortunate for her opponents.) I can't think of a more perfect LAST first doubleheader of the season for our two seniors, serving up two spotless 7-0 bagels to UMBC and JMU. MmmMmmm, would you like some cream cheese with that?

Thanks to Coach Meredith's wonderful fitness program this fall we are, if I may say so, looking quite good. As a side note, we are also fitter. Coach Toni made sure of that. To any opponents scanning our website for clues, hints, or openings into potential weaknesses of this team, go ahead and count out fatigue. We never tire. And if you don't believe we never tire, just watch Lauren Sabacinski play ;)

I think Tribe tennis also owes a shout out to one very hard working sophomore. Katie Kargl, you have the patience of a saint. Playing next to the famous "Rocky" this Friday was an awesome experience. I feel like I could play five sets after watching Katie play one. The fight in this girl catches like a chest cold in the freshman dorms.

The cherry on top to the last first match for our seniors Carmen and Ragini was a team dinner birthday celebration. Neither the match, nor winning, nor giving 100 percent effort was the focus of January 15th. (Meredith I'm totally joking here. 100 percent effort is always the focus.) The 15th was Nina Vulovich's birthday and she turned a whopping 20! That's TWO decades old!! Sheesh, I feel like the baby now. Anyways, if you see her roaming the tennis center in the next couple days give her a nice big birthday hug. She's a fellow freshman and sometimes we need a little extra love.

And now to explain the meaning behind all this mindless banter: Throughout this season I'll be giving you (I'm assuming that at the very least my teammates will read this blog) a brief weekly summary of W&M Women's Tennis. If you are looking for scores, match summaries, or dull player bios this is not the place to find them. However, if you want to see the match from the eyes of a player, hear a couple of our team jokes, or even take time to read some quality writing, then look no further. Obviously, a good portion of the blog will be dedicated to tennis talk; otherwise I think my blog writing privileges could be revoked. But as a whole, the idea of this blog, no, the mission of this blog is to bring some of Tribe tennis to you. It's an inclusive look at an exclusive group. So without further to do, I officially welcome you to the unofficial, but on no terms superficial W&M Women's Tennis Blog.

Anik Cepeda

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