Pitt’s Borza strives for perfection

Over the past three tennis seasons, Pitt senior Kristy Borza has been synonymous with Pitt… Over the past three tennis seasons, Pitt senior Kristy Borza has been synonymous with Pitt history. From the moment she arrived on campus in 2005, no Pitt tennis record has been safe. As a freshman, Borza led the Panthers in total victories (47) and tied school records for single-season singles and doubles wins. Since then, Borza has set the all-time Pitt record for career victories with 143 and all-time singles wins with 81. And she still has this season to play. Virtually every school record has been challenged by the forehand of Borza throughout her career, to the point that almost every time she takes the court this year she will be attempting to break one of her own records. As Pitt’s No. 1 singles player for the third consecutive year, Borza anchored a Panther team that enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in school history. Pitt finished 13-8 with two wins over Syracuse and West Virginia ‘mdash; two teams that Pitt had never beaten before. In defeating West Virginia for the second time, the Panthers won two matches in the Big East Tournament for the first time in school history, capping off a season that gave Pitt its best-ever conference finish. ‘Last year, we beat two Big East teams that we had never beaten before,’ said Borza. ‘It was huge. All these teams that we’ve been losing to every year, and we pulled it together at the same time.’ If the Panthers continue to progress as a team, Borza’s senior year will be a success. But eminent individual goals still loom. Despite the individual and team triumph Borza has experienced at Pitt, she remains focused to achieve the one goal that has eluded her in her stint as a Panther: making the NCAA Tournament. ‘It has been a goal of mine every year,’ said Borza. ‘Since I was a freshman, my goal has been to go to the NCAAs.’ The pursuit of her goal begins with Pitt’s fall schedule. Last fall, Borza took a major stride toward her ultimate goal. She became the first Panther to ever win the Women’s Eastern Collegiate Invitational at West Point, N.Y. She then advanced to the round of 32 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Championships in October. In doing so, Borza achieved another Pitt first. She became the first tennis player in the programs 33-year history to earn an ITA singles ranking. Borza closed out last fall ranked 26th in the ITA region I singles rankings. Garnering a regional ranking was a big accomplishment for Borza. But a greater target is now in sight. Pitt coach George Dieffenbach knows these goals well. ‘This year her goal is to earn an ITA regional and national ranking in singles and doubles,’ said Dieffenbach. The ITA is the biggest tournament of the year for Borza if she wants to qualify for the NCAAs. A good showing could earn her a national ranking, and if she advances to the finals, she will automatically qualify for the NCAAs. In the ITA Regional Championships last year, Borza got a tough draw, and she hopes this year she will be more fortunate. Borza knows that a strong showing in the ITA this year will elevate her chances of making it to the NCAAs. ‘Last year I played a girl from William and Mary who was top-five in the nation,’ said Borza. ‘It was a bad draw to get second round, but that’s why you go to Pitt, so you can play top [players] in the nation. If I get a good draw this year, it’s definitely a realistic goal.’ Unlike Pitt’s spring schedule, which consists primarily of Big East competition and team matches, the fall affords Borza the opportunity to play in various invitational tournaments like the ITA, which will present more ranked opponents for Borza. Beating ranked opponents will help Borza garner a national ranking herself and heighten her chances of making the NCAAs. ‘We play a couple [ranked players] in the spring, ‘ said Borza. ‘But there are more chances in the fall, because there are random tournaments with random players instead of just the No. 1 player of each school. ‘Wins in the ITA are your most important wins in terms of ranking. If you get ranked regionally, it’s ’cause you beat regionally ranked players. If you play at the ITA, you have the chance to play nationally ranked players. Then you have the chance to get nationally ranked, which would be ideal.’ Borza also has the opportunity to achieve her goal in doubles. Last season she teamed with partner Elizabeth Adams and went 16-4 as Pitt’s top doubles team. Adams’ game complements Borza’s perfectly, and with a year of experience playing with each other, Borza and Adams have the potential to gain a ranking in doubles, as well. ‘Elizabeth is a great doubles partner,’ said Borza. ‘We’re similar in that we’re both really aggressive. She can cover a lot of the court, which makes up for me being short in doubles. She can come to the net, but the thing with Elizabeth is [that she has] a lot of power.’ Despite all her success, Borza said she realizes she can still get better, and there are some goals that she has yet to obtain. ‘I didn’t have a perfect season last year,’ said Borza. ‘There’s definitely room to improve from last season. I would like to get ranked, that’s one thing that I’ve been trying to do.’ Each year at Pitt, Borza has accomplished something remarkable. This fall marks the beginning of the end of Borza’s celebrated career as a Panther. And if the ending is perfect, it will mark the beginning of her march to the NCAA Tournament, as well.