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The Daily OrangeTEN | Doubles duo of Jones, Spicer drive Orange to crucial win
By Jeff Westfall
Posted: 3/30/08, 11:55 PM EST Section: Sports
"I like her pace," Jensen said. "I think the velocity on both her first and second serves has picked up, I think she is hitting more than 100 mph with her first, which is better than the tour average on the WTA tour."
Jones, Spicer's collaborator in the doubles match, also carried her team's success into her singles match. Jones won her singles match in the five spot for the Orange (6-1, 6-4) over the Red Storm's Ashley Harper.
On the same court where nearly a week prior Jones lost the decisive match of a 4-3 Orange loss to Pittsburgh, the match again rested upon her shoulders. With her teammates Christina Tan and Maria Vasilyeva beginning to falter and the Orange in need of one more win to secure the match, Jones made sure that history would not repeat itself.
"I think today was a huge jump forward considering what happened against Pittsburgh," Jensen said. "We were in the same scenario today; if we don't win with Jones we lose at the one and three positions and lose the match. Her match was the match for us."
Jones said her and Spicer's doubles victory acted as a tone-setter propelling her singles play. That spark allowed Jones to have better location on her shots and be more consistent on the court.
"I did really well getting the ball in play today," Jones said. "Like (SU assistant coach Shelley) George said, great shots don't win tennis, consistency does."
Spicer and Jones' efforts helped to Orange add to its momentum heading into the final week of the regular season. Later this week, Syracuse will face Rutgers and Big East powerhouse Notre Dame as it concludes the final week of the regular season. Jensen said Jones and Spicer's doubles tandem may be peaking just at the right time.
"I think they are better with their serve and volley game than they have been all season long," Jensen said. "They are more confident with it and are moving well together as a team, doubles is a team game, and you have to be one with your partner to do well."
jwestfal@syr.edu
Jones, Spicer's collaborator in the doubles match, also carried her team's success into her singles match. Jones won her singles match in the five spot for the Orange (6-1, 6-4) over the Red Storm's Ashley Harper.
On the same court where nearly a week prior Jones lost the decisive match of a 4-3 Orange loss to Pittsburgh, the match again rested upon her shoulders. With her teammates Christina Tan and Maria Vasilyeva beginning to falter and the Orange in need of one more win to secure the match, Jones made sure that history would not repeat itself.
"I think today was a huge jump forward considering what happened against Pittsburgh," Jensen said. "We were in the same scenario today; if we don't win with Jones we lose at the one and three positions and lose the match. Her match was the match for us."
Jones said her and Spicer's doubles victory acted as a tone-setter propelling her singles play. That spark allowed Jones to have better location on her shots and be more consistent on the court.
"I did really well getting the ball in play today," Jones said. "Like (SU assistant coach Shelley) George said, great shots don't win tennis, consistency does."
Spicer and Jones' efforts helped to Orange add to its momentum heading into the final week of the regular season. Later this week, Syracuse will face Rutgers and Big East powerhouse Notre Dame as it concludes the final week of the regular season. Jensen said Jones and Spicer's doubles tandem may be peaking just at the right time.
"I think they are better with their serve and volley game than they have been all season long," Jensen said. "They are more confident with it and are moving well together as a team, doubles is a team game, and you have to be one with your partner to do well."
jwestfal@syr.edu
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