Tigers build for future net gains

Team members for the Tiger tennis team are (front row, from left) John Zearing, Sam Nelson, Ethan Krieger, Chad Hermeyer and Dane Stier; (second row) Calvin Baker, Matthew Smith, Joe Waller and Vaughn Kimberley; (third row) head coach Connie Lind, Shreyas Patel, Derek Wagner, Jon Wolf and assistant coach Alex Arauza. Absent are: Morgan Lucas, Scott Blessman and Andy Adams.

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PRINCETON — With a cast of new talent up and down her lineup, Princeton Tiger tennis coach Connie Lind is in the rebuilding mode this spring.

Senior Derek Wagner, who will move up to the No. 1 singles position, is the only holdover from last year’s lineup. And he is the only senior.

“We’re taking it as a building year,” Lind said. “We’re very young, other than losing Derek as a starter, it should play well for us next year.”

Wagner inherits the top singles from the graduated Doug Faber. Wagner played No. 1 doubles a year ago and moved up to No. 2 singles at NCIC.

“He’s really worked during the offseason with his serve and really turned that into a weapon,” Lind said.
Junior Sam Nelson will man the No. 2 singles and is showing big improvement on his serving, Lind said. Juniors

Ethan Krieger and John Zearing and sophomores Scott Blessman and Andy Adams, a transfer from Geneseo, will fill the other singles positions.

The top two doubles positions will come down to junior Matt Smith, Krieger, Blessman and Adams.
Lind now has 15 varsity players in all, including senior newcomer Shreyas Patel, and juniors Vaughn Kimberley,

Chad Hermeyer, Dane Stier, Johnathon Wolf, Joe Waller, Calvin Baker and Morgan Lucas. Lind is counting on the juniors to step up their level of play in order for the team to be competive.

“My goals for our season is always to be competitive in our conference and  play the best we can play in a match,” Lind said.

The Tigers have had a slow start due to the weather. Saturday’s tourney at  Moline has been canceled. The varsity are scheduled to travel to Morris Monday with the F/S at home.

There are 18 boys on coach Alex Arauza’s F/S team, headed by sophomores Eric Bickett, Jimmy Ferrell and Jake Biddix. Other squad members include Zach Taylor, Eric Savage, Quinn Johnston, Michael Zearing, Quintin Puebla, Caleb Tomaszewski, Simon Zehr, Reynard Tirao, Reiter Bird, Ryan Marion, Matt Van Den Bussche, Pedro Monzon, Eric Bickett, Tanner Lewis, Alex Lange and Lance Jensen.

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