By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Washington’s seniors have been instrumental in leading their tennis team to the top of the Coastal Conference this season. It only seems fitting that the Pam Pack can clinch the conference championship with a win on Senior Day today.
Washington (15-0, 12-0) plays host to South Central at 4 p.m. The Pam Pack knocked off the Falcons 8-1 at South Central earlier this year.
“We would love for everyone to come out and support our team and see some great tennis,” Washington coach Michelle Elks said.
Washington’s seven seniors — Hayley Stowe, Janie Page, Tierra Locklear, D’Lorah Pierce, Shannon Niederhauser, Mary Potocki and Mary Margaret Fowle — will be honored prior to the match.
“I am going to miss them,” Elks said. “They are a great bunch of girls. They have been pivotal in helping turn around Washington tennis and getting people excited about it again.”
Stowe, who is undefeated as the Pack’s No. 2 singles player, is one of the team’s captains. Locklear and Page were also voted as team captains this year.
“They definitely have been our teams leaders,” Elks said. “They are leaders in different ways.
“Hayley does it with her athleticism and sportsmanship and attitude. Tierra takes the team under her wing and kind of shoulders it. She gets everybody ready to play and gets them excited about playing. Janie takes the younger girls under her wing and helps them out. She is a great example of a student-athlete.”
The Pack gets contributions from others on the team, most noticeably junior Beth Batchelor, who is undefeated at No. 1 singles. Batchelor and Stowe are also unbeaten in doubles play.
Waiting in the wings to play next year and help fill the vacated spots of the seniors are the likes of Samara Romero, Paige Ingalls, Kimberlyn Jones, Erin Stowe, Ashlan Ingalls, Lanie Smith, Emily Hodges, Erica Alligood and Mikaela Jones.
“We are so deep,” Elks said. “We have several girls not in the top six right now who could step in our lineup and be very competitive. I'm so proud of their effort and their enthusiasm.
“Their team spirit is just exemplary. They want to see their teammates do well and win and they are very unselfish.”
Washington caps off the regular season Monday at White Oak in a match that was postponed earlier by rain. The Pack defeated the Vikings 9-0 in the first matchup.
“I am just so excited for all of our girls to get to be a part of something this special,” Elks said. “Two more matches and they will have had an undefeated regular season. I think that is pretty amazing.”