Tennis numbers are up 100 percent

Starting in early 1994, I worked for my first-ever newspaper, The Northern Student, the student newspaper at Bemidji State University, where I attended and received my bachelor's degree in mass communication. Over three years, I would be a staff writer, news editor, managing editor and editor. I wrote everything from news stories to feature stories to sports stories to opinion pieces. It was the greatest training ground a journalist could ever have, and I am grateful to the many talented people I worked alongside in my years at The NS.

March 20, 1996

By Devlyn Brooks

Bemidji has never been known as a tennis Mecca. This is just one of the uphill battles that sixth-year head tennis coach Becky O'Keefe faces every year when her team suits up for the season.

However, due to an increase in athletic participation, and to some much-needed financial backing from the Beaver Pride organization, other teams are beginning to take notice of the BSU tennis team.

In her tenure as head coach, O'Keefe said that BSU has always finished in a dog fight for the third, fourth and fifth place finishes in the conference. And recently, the battles have seemed to be enough closer.

"When I first started, we were last in the conference," O'Keefe said. "Now, we end up playing really tight in the middle of the pack. We're starting to win those matches."

This year's team features 11 players, sprinkled with some veterans and some rookies. But O'Keefe said that there is a good foundation on which to build a team. Just a few years ago, the entire team consisted of six or seven players, she said.

The No. 1 position will be occupied by Nicole "Lulu" Spicer, who was a two-time state champion in doubles in North Dakota. "She is a small, fairly quiet, hard-nosed competitor," O'Keefe said. "She's a sophisticated enough tennis player to know a match isn't over 'til it's over."

Spicer said that she is excited to be playing the No. 1 position, and she said that she hopes that she can use that to be a leader for the team. "I feel like I have nothing to loose," she said. "It's hard playing No. 1. The girls are either at your level, or they are much better."

The No. 2 player will be Renee Perry. According to O'Keefe, she is a powerful baseline hitter that is "fairly well consistent." Perry is a freshman, which means there is a lot of weight being carried on her shoulders.

"I like playing No. 2," Perry said, "but, of course, you feel nervous."

Playing the third spot is a four-year seasoned veteran, Becky Tlusty. As a freshman, Tlusty won the conference championship at first singles, O'Keefe said, which adds a lot of leadership to the younger athletes. "She is absolutely tremendous in her ability to focus during a match. If she's not ready to take a serve, she won't," O'Keefe said. "She takes her part in a match very seriously. She really analyzes her play."

Jessica Daniels, who is playing fourth singles, is another player who competed in the Minnesota State High School League tennis tournament. "She is a very good, all-around athlete. She is amazingly fit," O'Keefe said. "And playing fourth puts her in a good leadership position in the future."

Currently, the five and six positions are filled, respectively, by Kari Bowman, who is a hometown product and co-captain of the team, and Lisa Kramer who is a transfer student from Brainerd Community College. When Kramer played for the Brainerd team, their team went to the junior college national championships for tennis, O'Keefe said.

The doubles teams will be comprised of Spicer and Perry, Tlusty and Daniels and Bowman and Kristy Paakkonen.

However, O'Keefe cautions that there could be changes among the lineup throughout the year.

The tennis team opened the season March 6 against Concordia and suffered a one point loss. However, several of the matches were close, ending in tie-breakers. One of those matches could have meant the difference in a win for the team.

The next action the Beavers will see will be March 22 and 23 in Duluth, against conference favorite University of Minnesota-Duluth , Northern State University and St. Scholastica.

"UMD is by far the favorite," O'Keefe said. "They just waxed Moorhead State 7-0. However, the team isn't letting this shake their confidence, she said.

"We've got a chance to win a couple of matches this weekend. In my six years, we've never lost to St. Scholastica."