Coed Tennis Team Seeks Title Repeat
Published 03.25.2005
One year ago, the Pennsylvania College of Technology coed tennis team won its first Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association championship under coach Charlie Baum. This year, Baum is forecasting a repeat.
"I've got a real positive outlook. . . . We are probably the favorites going into the season. With the quality of guys I have, and what I've seen in the past, and the quality of the girls that I have this year . . . we should do as well as we did last year," said Baum, who enters his sixth season at the helm with a 26-14 career mark.
The Wildcats are scheduled to begin their six-match Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference season Saturday, April 2, hosting Bucks County Community College. Team points in each match will be awarded for play in four men's singles, two men's doubles, two women's singles and one women's doubles matches.
Vying for the No. 1 men's singles position are Adam Cleland (East Pennsboro) and John Lafferty (Lansdale). Robert "Spyke" Krepshaw (Southern Columbia) is expected to be at the No. 3 singles spot and either Derek Paulhamus (South Williamsport) or Dan Bissell (West Chester) at No. 4.
Cleland and Lafferty will form the No. 1 men's doubles team, with Krepshaw and either Paulhamus or Bissell at No. 2.
Teresa Burrill (Jersey Shore), who won back-to-back EPCC and PCAA women's singles titles the past two years is gone, but Baum is confident that Lauren O'Donnell (Kennett Square), who will play at the women's No. 1 singles spot, and Krystal Sheredos (Bangor), who will be at No. 2, will step up to keep the team on top.
Again this season, on May 7, Penn College will host the EPCC/PCAA playoffs at the West Branch Tennis Club in South Williamsport.
"I'd be disappointed if we didn't win the tournament this spring because of the level of players that I have. I've had (good) women the last two years, but the depth of men this year is better than I've seen," the coach said.