Union Pines Reloads for 2010 Season With Talented Underclassmen

     The Union Pines women’s tennis team approaches the 2010 season expecting to

compete for conference, regional and state honors. The team should be among the early

favorites for the Cape Fear Valley 3A conference championship, and with Melissa Tally

and Madison Kramer, state doubles qualifiers returning, the team looks to challenge in

the state playoffs.

     State 3-A singles champion Neena Wanko and conference singles runner-up Jordan

Smith have graduated, leaving sizeable voids, but with five returning sophomores, three

playing extensively last year, and three juniors and one senior, the team has both depth

and experience.

     Shannon Simpson will be the team’s lone senior and she will be joined by juniors

Brittany Jones, Virginia Priest and Gabrielle Roback. Simpson is 12-7, Jones 23-9, Priest

7-3 on the career list, and Roback is joining the team for her initial season.

The sophomores include Tally, Kramer and Laura Cameron, all key performers in 2009

as freshmen. In addition to their state tournament qualification, Tally and Kramer were

regional semi-finalists and conference doubles champions. Tally was 29-4, Kramer 30-3,

and Cameron, who teamed with Jones and reached the conference doubles finals, was 19-

5.

     Other sophomores are Elena D’Argenio and Maddie Walden. D’Argenio was 7-1 and

Walden 3-3 last season. They will be joined by incoming freshmen Celine Bullock and

Michelle Shireman.

     Following a summer of extensive workouts the girls are playing with composure and

confidence and the challenges to determine the team’s lineup should be spirited.

The greatest area of concern for the Lady Vikings will be to determine the most

advantageous combinations for doubles. Without Wanko and Smith, the number

one duo in 2009, the team will be challenged at all three positions. If the squad

adapts well to higher level competition, it could go deep into the state playoffs.