By
Lindsey Manroel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Blau, Gough seek to improve national rankings
Five members of the Arizona women's tennis team will have the opportunity to boost their individual rankings at the ITA All-American Tournament this weekend.
Senior Michelle Gough, juniors Lindsay Blau, Laresa Marino and Sophie Regnier and freshman Debbie Larocque will travel to the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles to compete in the ITA All-American Tournament beginning tomorrow.
In previous pre-season tournaments, head coach Brad Dancer has been more concerned about the quality of play rather than results.
Dancer said this tournament will be a great opportunity for his players to gain points towards their individual rankings.
The tournament will be comprised of the top collegiate tennis players in the country and will be divided into three pools - first tier main draw, those who must qualify in order to advance (like Gough and Blau) and those who must pre-qualify (Larocque). Reginer and Marino are alternates.
"It's going to be really good and really tough," Gough said. "I'm hoping we do quite well. We're all prepared, have been practicing hard and playing a lot."
Gough, who is ranked No. 64 in singles and No. 3 in doubles alongside Blau, her partner, will have the opportunity to improve her rankings this weekend.
In order to compete in the NCAA championships, a player must be ranked No. 50 or better, a goal for Gough that is more than achievable, according to Dancer.
"That's definitely a goal," Dancer said. "It is dependent on her ability to compete well and enjoying her competition. If she does that, then that (being in the top-50) is where she'll be."
The ITA All-American Tournament is the first competition of the season for Blau, who has been recovering from tendonitis in her right knee.
Playing in the hometown of rival USC, the Wildcats will have extra motivation to outplay the Trojans.
"It's a healthy competitiveness that we have with USC," Gough said. "And when we play them we are really fired up to beat them."
Gough and the rest of the Wildcats will hope to use that competitive spirit to outlast the Trojans as well as the rest of the competition from across the country.
Although the Wildcats are yet to take home a championship in this season's pre-season play, they are prepared for the individual challenge that awaits them.
"It's a much bigger, more prestigious tournament," Gough said. "But we are prepared. I'm just excited about playing a lot of matches and hopefully pick up some good wins."
