Q&A with Pomona-Pitzer’s Ann Lebedeff

Pomona-Pitzer head coach Ann Lebedeff got back with some comments on the NCAA tournament for the second Maroon City Q&A on this week’s tournament.  No. 7 Pomona (19–4) draws No. 3 Emory (20–4) on Tuesday.

MC: How is your team feeling about reaching the quarterfinals?

AL: The team is very happy that they played well in beating the University of Redlands yesterday, and are looking forward to facing Emory next week. Everyone is working on final exams this week, and with five seniors graduating this Sunday the team is working around their end of the year schedule to fit in tennis. This is the third consecutive year in reaching the quarterfinals, so I think the team feels great.

MC: What do you think your team has done best to get you to this point?

AL: I think each member of the team respects and likes all fourteen on the team. They are very united as team members, and all give to the team in their respective roles. The team has worked extremely hard and really wanted to return to the final site this year.

MC: What are your team’s strengths?

AL: The team’s strength is the bond they each have with each other, their love for the game and competition, and for finding enjoyment and fun in playing tennis with friends in the California sun.

MC: What do you need to do to advance?

AL: To advance, we need to play attacking and aggressive doubles, along with making intelligent choices in singles play. Most of our opponents are much more experienced than our team, so the combination of creative and smart play can defeat more accomplished opponents.

MC: Who do you think the toughest challenges are going to be?

AL: I think the toughest challenges at the National Championship are dealing with nerves, adjusting to the climate and conditions at the site, and making good decisions on the court. We try to put ourselves in the best position for success by playing the game poised, calm, and aggressive.