Women's tennis eyes spring season

Rick Crossin
Assistant Sports Editor

The SIUE women's tennis team may have found the missing link over Christmas break.

The Lady Cougars still have all the same old faces, but they have added a new piece to the puzzle. Senior Annie Sauget joins the Lady Cougars for her final semester of eligibility.

Sauget previously played at Spring Hill College in Alabama and was named the athelete of the year there.

SIUE will once again be led by seniors Kim Mulherin and Sarah Hardimon.

Hardimon and Mulherin compiled a 16-2 doubles record last season and are ranked eighth in the region this spring.

Last season, Hardimon and Mulherin reached the finals in the Illinois Tennis Association Regionals and both were named to the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference team. For Hardimon, it was her fourth selection to the team in four years.

In high school, Hardimon was the No.1 player at Belleville West, Mulherin was the No.1 at Belleville East and Sauget was the No.1 at Althoff. So it's safe to say they all acquainted.

Christy Ulavege will play doubles this season with Sauget. Last season, Ulavege was 6-3 in individual GLVC matches and 6-4 in doubles matches.

Head coach Bill Logan expects good things from his women's team this season. The Lady Cougars are ranked 14th in the national rankings, but Logan knows the beginning of the season could be the most important.

After an opening match Tuesday against Principia College, the Lady Cougars will travel to Maryville, Mo., to take on 16th-ranked Northwest Missouri State University.

"They will be gunning for us," Logan said.

SIUE will have many other opponents this spring including Spring Hill. Also, the Lady Cougars will face Washington University and Truman State University before the regional championships, which begin Friday, May 5.