TIGER CLASSIC
Towson Center Tennis Courts, Towson, Md.
Friday, Sept. 6 – Saturday, Sept. 7
OPENING SERVE: The Mount St. Mary's women's tennis team opens the 2013-14 campaign with the first of four invitationals scheduled for the fall, traveling to Towson, Md. for the Tiger Classic Sept. 6-7. The Mount will face George Mason on Friday at 1 p.m. then Indiana University of Pennsylvania at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the Mount takes on Towson at noon and Delaware at 1:30 p.m.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT: Against each team, the Mount will play one doubles match and four singles matches. Each match will count as one point toward the final score. The results will not count toward the team's season record.
AT LAST YEAR'S EVENT: In exhibition matches that did not count against the team's record, the Mount fell to Saint Joseph's, 5-0, and Delaware, 4-1, on the first day of the Tiger Classic in 2012. Then-senior Kelly Conroy earned a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 win at No. 2 singles against Delaware to pick up the point. The Mount was scheduled to face Towson, George Washington and Howard, but rain forced the action to be cancelled.
2012-13 RECAP: Last fall, the Mountaineers went 2-1 with decisive victories over Shepherd and Rider. Continuing to the spring season, the Mount went 7-11 to finish the season 9-12. The Mount secured a 6-0 win over Wagner in the first round of the NEC Tournament before falling to eventual runner-up Quinnipiac by a 4-0 final score in the quarterfinals.
WELCOME BACK: Half of the team's starters for singles are back with another year of experience. Samantha Pinchoff, the Mount's No. 2 singles player from last season, is back for her senior season after winning 10 singles matches in 2012-13. No. 5 singles player Liz Rossi, who tied for second on the team with 17 singles wins and Jennifer Smith, the Mount's No. 6 singles player from last year, is also returning. The Mount will look to replace starters Kelly Conroy, Renee Deane and Carly Landini, who all graduated.
NEW TO THE MOUNT: Phil Hammond found talent from around the nation to complete this year's recruiting class. Four freshmen will make their collegiate debuts this season including Kelly Smith from Davenport, Wash., Elizabeth Milano from Marietta, Ga., Erin Benefiel from Lake Mary, Fla. and Kayla Barrett from Orange, Conn.
COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Phil Hammond is entering his 10th season at the helm for the Mount. In his first nine season, Hammond has built both the men's and women's programs into perennial contenders in the Northeast Conference. On the women's side, Hammond's coaching record is 117-83, while putting together an 88-103 mark with the men's team.
UP NEXT: The Mount will host the annual Mount St. Mary's Invitational Sept. 13-15 at the Mount Tennis Courts.
