by David J. Chavez
Daily Lobo
The UNM women's doubles team of seniors Iva Gersic and Maja Kovacek start another season together Saturday at the UNM Lobo Fall Invitational.
Even after a move from across an ocean, some things don't change.
"We've known each other for around 12 years now," Gersic said. "We're really good friends off the court, and we rely on each other. Every single time we play, she knows what I'm going to do, and I know what she's going to do."
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The pair grew up in Croatia together and have been playing tennis together for most of those 12 years. Last year, they were named first-team all-Mountain West Conference in doubles and singles.
Gersic and Kovacek highlight the competition this weekend, but Lobos' head coach Kathy Kolankiewicz said the rest of the teams in the tournament should pack some of their own firepower.
"We tend to get the most out of our players when the competition is evenly matched," she said. "There's a 50-50 chance for every player to come out with a win."
Kovacek injured her back while playing in the Coleman Vision Tennis Championships on Monday when she lost in the second qualifying round to Tara Snyder. She has been rehabilitating and expects to be ready to take the court on Friday.
"I'm going to give it my best whether I'm a 100 percent or not this weekend," Kovacek said. "Since this is my last year, I hope I can stay healthy. I'm going to try my hardest to finish strong."
All 10 players on the team are competing this weekend, including two freshmen, Maria Sotirchos and Mackenzie White. Sotirchos said there's not much pressure despite it being her first tournament as a Lobo.
"I'm really excited and a little nervous, but a lot more excited about playing in front of a home crowd," Sotirchos said.
White said she's happy to play for UNM.
"I'm honored to represent the Lobos, and I am confident that we can do well this weekend," she said. "Since it's our first tournament, we're also going to learn a lot about ourselves and what we need to work on."
The tournaments in the fall are considered warm-up matches for the regular season that begins in the spring.
"This tournament is not team related," Kolankiewicz said. "It counts toward the players' individual records. The fall season is the time to get a lot of experience, but the bottom line is we're trying to get a lot of matches in to prepare for the spring."
