Elliott era opens Saturday

The Southeast Missouri State women's tennis team, featuring a new coach and plenty of returning talent, hopes to build on its breakthrough season from a year ago.

Southeast posted its first winning record since 1997 last season, going 12-11 and finishing on a four-match winning streak.

Jay Pacelli's final Southeast squad barely missed qualifying for the six-team Ohio Valley Conference tournament, finishing in a three-way tie for sixth place in the 11-team league but losing the tiebreaker for the last tournament spot.

Pacelli left after three seasons at Southeast to take a job working for a tennis club in Jackson, Miss.

In stepped Mark Elliott, who has a vast range of coaching experience but is in his first collegiate position.

"I am absolutely excited about this opportunity," said Elliott, whose new team opens the season Saturday at Evansville.

Elliott, a California native, most recently ran a junior tennis academy in Roseville, Calif.

He is also a former coach of the Chinese national team and served six years as a junior Wimbledon coach for the United States Tennis Association.

As a player, Elliott competed collegiately at San Jose State and spent 10 years on the professional circuit, appearing in Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and Australian Open.

"I'm looking forward to finally coaching in college," Elliott said.

Southeast returns five of its top six players from last year, led by junior twin sisters Bryce and Drew Kristal, natives of northern California who have actually worked with Elliott in the past.

The Kristals have been the Redhawks' top two singles players since they were freshmen.

Last year, Bryce went 12-11 in the No. 1 position, while Drew won seven matches at No. 2. As the No. 1 doubles team, they went 17-6, including 8-2 in the OVC.

Sophomore Julia Masotti, playing No. 3 singles last year, had the Redhawks' best record, going 18-5, including 8-2 in OVC competition.

Senior Luz Garcia was 9-7 at No. 4 singles a year ago, while senior Kimmy Anderson from Jackson High School won eight matches at No. 6 singles.

Rounding out the squad is freshman Elise Nattier from Flora, Ill.

"The program has been developing, and hopefully we can keep building it," Elliott said.

Elliott said the Redhawks have looked solid during practice and he is anxious for them to finally play a match.

"I like what I've seen, but what you see on the practice court and in matches is sometimes different," he said.

Until the weather turned cold recently, Elliott said the Redhawks were able to practice outside. Lately, they've utilized an indoor facility in Carbondale, Ill., for workouts. They have an agreement to use the facility scheduled to open in Jackson in early March.

The early matches of the season will be indoors, until the weather breaks.

Southeast's first home match is March 11 against Morehead State.

Other home dates for the Redhawks are March 16 (Tennessee State), March 17 (Creighton, Missouri-Kansas City), March 27 (Tennessee-Martin), April 4 (St. Louis), April 5 (Austin Peay) and April 14 (Eastern Kentucky).

Elliott said the immediate goal is for the Redhawks to qualify for the OVC tournament, but his future goal is for them to win that event and advance to the NCAA Championships.