ASU women's tennis coach Sheila McInerney has stressed the importance of peaking at the right time. This season is no different.
Despite going 8-15 last year, ASU found its rhythm when it mattered most with wins over No. 19 Louisiana State and No. 12 Texas and made its eighth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.
The same excuses can be made this season. The Sun Devils are a young team in the balanced Pac-10 and have a difficult non-conference schedule that includes matches against national powerhouses Duke and Texas.
"The immediate goal is to get into the [NCAA] tournament," McInerney said. "Our major goal is to be good enough to host a regional."
The Sun Devils have matured since last season.
Ideally, a team will have two freshmen on its roster. Last year, ASU had five.
"It was a little shocking," McInerney said. "Some of them came in a little too thin-skinned from training in private clubs. But now we've established a better rapport."
ASU's roster is more diversified, featuring five sophomores, two freshmen and two seniors. McInerney has high expectations for freshman Jessica Leitch and sophomore Sabrina Capannolo.
Leitch, only the second left-handed player McInerney has coached in 21 years at ASU, draws her opponent's attention on the court.
"They know I have so many more advantages on my serve and my forehand," Leitch said. "They see me warm up, and it can have a psychological effect. It's a mind game."
Last season, Capannolo marked a team-best 28 singles victories and posted a 15-5 record in tournaments.
Seniors Joslynn Burkett and Lauren Colalillo also hope to make an impact, given their understanding of the program's high standards.
McInerney refuses to let her players get caught up in the rankings. She prefers to make her team's schedule work for them, regardless of how tough it looks on paper.
"These kids were a little shell-shocked by the schedule last year," McInerney said. "It was tough because you gain confidence from winning."
Leitch echoed her coach's sentiments.
"I'll look at the schedule, and it's pretty scary," she said. "Last year, they [ASU] played their best when they needed to. Sure, we'd like to have a winning record, but we'd rather have the title."
Reach the reporter at kimberly.a.taylor@asu.edu.
