Women’s Tennis ready to exceed expectations

After not fielding a team last year, Palomar women’s tennis is back for Spring 2017 and ready to show they are here to stay.

First year Head Coach Christopher Tissot leads a team of six freshmen into a season where the goal is to put together a strong showing while also enjoying the sport.

“The girls are preparing themselves for league,” Tissot said, “obviously that’s what really counts.”

Aguirre, during the final set in Court 5, Feb 3, 2017. Palomar concedes to Saddleback 0-2. Savhanna Vargas/The Telescope

Tissot has spent the last seven years as the assistant coach for Glendale Community College. His teams have gone to the state playoffs three times, winning one conference championship in 2014, and he was the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012.

Coach Tissot said he had a positive outlook for his team heading into their first match on Feb. 3 against Saddleback College. However, competing with a team of all freshman, the Comet’s depth showed and they lost the match 8-1.

The Comet’s lone win came in doubles when Poway High School Alum Veronika Kremennaya teamed up with Japanese transfer student Chihiro Nishijima to win by a score of 8-5 against Saddlebacks two top players.

Tissot predicts to see strong and steady play out of Kremennaya this season as she was a Top 500 player in high school, according to Tennis RPI.

Pregame, Tissot praised the women for being in high spirits and fully geared up for league. “The team is very deep this year, with not a lot of fall off between all the player’s skills,” Tissot said.

Although Palomar could not find enough athletes to form a team last season, inexperience was not a factor, as all the women are freshmen who played for their high school teams last season.

Nicole Burns, an athlete in the team, expressed her excitement for the rest of the season.

Nishijimi, of the Palomar Comets, takes a backhand swing during the first set in court 4, Feb. 3, 2017. Savhanna Vargas/ The Telescope

“We’re all out here having fun, the first game is always exciting,” Burns said.

Burns also said that because Palomar’s team is smaller than their high school teams, the players will be able to compete in both singles and doubles.

The Comet’s look to regroup and refocus as they take on Mt. San Jacinto College on Feb. 21.

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