The Syracuse tennis team is 10-0 when it wins the doubles point of a match, but is doing so without the help of its No. 1 doubles team.

The duo of Simone Kalhorn and Jacquelynn Tang lost 8-4 to Rutgers’s Katrina Elder-Bush and Katherine Arlak Saturday. The pair also faltered against St. John’s and Colgate’s No. 1 doubles team, 8-1, 8-9, respectively in its last two matches. The duo has a 1-6 record while playing at the No. 1 position.

Despite Kalhorn and Tang’s continuing struggles, the Orange defeated Rutgers, 6-1, Saturday at the Drumlins Country Club.

Kalhorn, Tang, and head coach Luke Jensen all attributed the losses to a lack of execution and consistency in finishing rallies.

‘It’s all about making the shot,’ Jensen said. ‘They are in the right position (on the court), but they just aren’t following through.’

While watching the pair play, it is noticeable Kalhorn is the more energetic player, while Tang remains calm. Kalhorn shouts ‘Come on!’ or ‘Let’s go!’ after every point scored for the team, in which Tang uses the fist pump to show her approval.

The players’ attitudes translate to their playing styles. Kalhorn tends to attack the net and go for the more risky shots. Tang said she is the more consistent one, who makes sure the ball gets over the net and lets her opposition make mistakes.

‘I actually think we are getting better each match,’ Kalhorn said. ‘Rutgers was very consistent in making their shots today, and we weren’t.’

In contrast to SU’s No. 1 doubles team, the No. 2 team of Ashley Spicer and Chelsea Jones are on a five-match winning streak, and the No. 3 team, Maria Vasilyeva and Christina Tan, are on a four-match winning streak. Despite the difference in records, Jensen kept Kalhorn and Tang at the top spot for seven matches.

At the No. 1 position, Kalhorn and Tang’s lone win came in an 8-2 win against Villanova’s Jaclyn Williamson and Ashley Reed.

Jensen moved Jones and Spicer to the No.1 position to play against Notre Dame Sunday. Jones and Spicer lost their first doubles match in five games, 8-3, in the Orange’s 6-1 loss to the Fighting Irish. The loss came against Notre Dame’s Brook Buck and Kelcy Tefft – the No. 1 doubles team in the nation.

‘Any of our doubles teams are good enough to play at the No. 1 position,’ Tang said. ‘We’re just trying to find out who plays best where. It doesn’t matter what position we play at, we will still go out there and want to win and compete.’

Tang does not doubt her and Kalhorn’s ability to play at the No. 1 position, despite their losing record.

‘We are set up points well, but we let games slip away for us,’ Tang said. ‘We’re doing the right things. The win is going to come, we just need to execute.’

During the first and third sets of their doubles match against the Scarlet Knights, Tang and Kalhorn gave up early leads and eventually lost both sets.

Kalhorn’s doubles lost translated to a singles defeat against Rutgers’ Amy Zhang, 6-3. 6-4. Kalhorn had a three-match singles winning streak going into Saturday. Tang didn’t play a singles match because Rutgers had an injured player.

‘We’re going to be fighting to the end,’ Tang said. ‘We just need to smooth out some rough edges in order to get some wins.’

mkgalant@syr.edu

Published on April 6, 2008 at 12:00 pm