Dedication doesn't take a break
1/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 9, 2012
The Montana women's tennis team has been on a competitive break since its last tournament in Irvine, Calif., in November, but that hasn't stopped sophomore Maddy Murray from staying at the top of her game. Immediately after the Christmas holiday Murray stormed her way to the quarterfinals of the Cotton Bowl Classic open tennis tournament in Dallas, Texas, in both the singles and doubles brackets.
While most of us were relaxing in our living rooms, watching bowl games, eating leftovers and laying around in our favorite pajamas, Murray was maintaining her competitive edge while gaining momentum and confidence before entering the college spring season.
Murray went 2-1 in singles action with victories over one the country's top rated juniors, Katy Salas, and Kewa Nichols who was a former TCU tennis athlete and an All-Mountain West Conference selection in 2007.
"I played some good opponents and got good experience to get me ready for spring," said Murray.
Murray's success wasn't a walk in the park despite her stellar play. On the first day of competition Murray bounced from match to match and was competing from 2:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. that evening. Her first match against Salas, who will be competing for Richmond next fall, went three and a half hours before Murray closed it out 6-4 in the third set.
From there Murray went straight to a doubles match where she teamed up with longtime friend Amy Allin, a senior at the University of Illinois. The pair went 1-1 in the doubles bracket winning their first match 6-4, 6-4, before being eliminated by the No.2 overall seeded team in the tournament in the ensuing round.
And that was just day one.
On day two Murray won her next singles match over Nichols before finally dropping in the quarterfinal in three sets.
"I was pretty tired and sore for the next couple of days," said Murray. "But at the same time that is what I love to do.
"Playing tennis just makes me happy."
"Maddy is an overachiever, and one of the hardest workers on the team," said coach Steve Ascher. "She had a great fall and she continues to gain confidence and experience."
Murray went 8-2 in singles during the fall season with her best performance coming in the Eastern Washington Fall Classic where she went 4-0 to win the C-bracket final.
It wasn't just Murray who dominated the Eastern Washington Fall Classic in October. The Griz won flights A and B as well with junior Heather Davidson taking the tournament title. The team has also posted some big singles victories at larger tournaments, most notably with freshman Laurence Pelchat's round of 16 appearance at the ITA Regional in Las Vegas.
Ascher stresses to his players to take things one match at a time and focus on the moment but looking back on an impressive fall season and Murray's work ethic as an example of how this team is preparing it's hard not to get excited for the future.
"I'm stoked for the spring to start," added Murray. "We have a really cohesive group, and we really support each other and that feels good."
"This is the deepest team we've had since I have been here," said Ascher. "We'll be ready for the spring season."
The Grizzlies will see their first competition on Jan. 27 versus Lewis-Clarke State. Thanks to efforts like Murray's they will not only bring the confidence they need but they will bring the work to back it up.
