RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team used the fall season to set the building blocks for the upcoming spring season. 
 
"The fall was huge," UTRGV Head Coach West Nott said. "That set the building blocks for the spring. I think it gave our team a lot of competition and confidence that they are improving. I think that is the important thing, to see that work translate from the practice courts to competition and seeing if we can carry it on through January and into the spring."
 
The Vaqueros competed in four tournaments this fall using each one to learn, compete, and progress. 
 
The fall started in Corpus Christi where the Vaqueros sent a pair to the championship matches in their respective flights. Sophomore Lea Karren made it in Flight C while senior Alicia Thal made it in Flight H. 
 
Karren and Thal both finished in second place in their flights but that was valuable experience to learn from. For the likes of Karren and Thal and the other returners, the fall was a chance to push their game to another level. 
 
For newcomers Marjorie Souza and Stefanie Wilske, it was a chance to get a learn and set a bar for themselves as they get ready for their first spring season with the Vaqueros. 
 
Souza led the Vaqueros with five victories in singles and five in doubles. Souza, along with the rest of the team, has started to really build some momentum for the spring.
 
"I think with my first year being a Covid year, we now have a little bit of momentum," Nott said. "We have added some new pieces and some new players, and I think the returning players have improved and mentally we are all on the same page. I think that allows us to perform at our best."
 
Coach Nott is happy with what he saw from his team this fall. While there were some things that might have hindered his squad, like injuries, he liked the way his team responded through each sign of adversity. 
 
Every team faces those kinds of things and it's all about how a team responds to those moments.
 
"I think we could have done a little bit better, but we had quite a few injuries," Nott said. "Every team went through that, and I think it's all about how you manage that, and how you build confidence through that. I think we have learned from that, and I think that is the important thing, that you just don't repeat the same mistakes. Everyone has improved a ton in their off-court training and our new strength and conditioning coach has carried on the same momentum. I think that was a huge piece."
 
The Vaqueros also used the fall to build on team chemistry, which is a big factor in the success in the spring. This season, it wasn't coach Nott who was making push but instead it was coming from the team itself. 
 
The team chemistry not only took place on the court but carried into the classroom and in the community. 
 
"A lot of it is player driven," Nott said. "I tell them what my expectations are and my standards. You can really see it in things off the court. I think they are getting good grades and are at the top of a lot of the sports here and in community service as well. Those things give them confidence, so now the last piece here is let's if they can translate that to winning tennis. If we can do that then we have accomplished the three prongs."
 
The Vaqueros certainly want to carry that momentum into the spring and have continued to put in the hard work even after the fall season was complete. 
 
When walking past the Orville Cox Tennis Center, one may see a few members of the squad getting in a practice session or just getting in a work quick workout.
 
It seems like everyone is pulling in the same direction and just trying to remain consistent. 
 
"I think it's just keep doing what you are doing," Nott said. "We are not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's about consistency. Just because you don't have a coach with you at 7 a.m. workouts or 10 a.m. team workouts, doesn't mean you stop carrying that good work on. I think they are. I have seen that happen. I think they will continue because we have a competitive lineup and there are limited spots, so I think that naturally gets everyone to fall into place."
 
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