As the ice begins to thaw and spring draws near, the Pitt tennis team is set to start the… As the ice begins to thaw and spring draws near, the Pitt tennis team is set to start the spring portion of its 2003-2004 season.

Under the instruction of head coach George Dieffenbach, the Panthers will look to achieve their third consecutive winning season. Pitt hosts Georgetown this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. for its first dual match since September.

Pitt (1-0) won a close matchup at Youngstown State on Sept. 24 thanks to straight-set wins by No. 1 and No. 2 singles players Becky Emmers and Annie Davis.

Last season, the Panthers exploded out of the gates following the holiday break, sweeping Wright State before faltering in their next seven matches. Pitt won 10 of its last 11 matches to finish the season at 13-9, but the post-holiday slump prevented the team from making the Big East Tournament.

This year, two returning seniors will try to ensure that history does not repeat itself. Haley Hughes is coming off a team-most valuable player season, and took the court as the No. 3 seed against Youngstown State. Hughes is among the team’s all-time leaders in career singles wins and career doubles wins, and with a solid outing this season, she could break into triple digits in all-time wins.

Laura Pegula transferred to Pitt from Eastern Michigan in 2001. In her debut season as a Panther, she racked up an 18-6 singles record en route to being named the team’s MVP. This year, her last at Pitt, she will bring her experience and power to the court in both a singles and doubles capacity.

Emmers returns for her sophomore campaign after posting winning records as both a singles and doubles competitor as a freshman. Joining her in the class of 2006 is the team’s lone left-hander, Emily Hughes. Hughes recorded impressive victories against St. John’s and Seton Hall last season, and she will see plenty of doubles action once again for the Panthers this season.

Junior Konita Jude made the team as a walk-on last year, but did not see much action this season. This year, she already has a straight-set singles victory under her belt against Youngstown State. Adding depth to the Panthers’ roster is freshman Davis, who brings impressive high school credentials to the Panthers from Parkersburg High School in West Virginia, as well as freshman Jennifer Newtz, who was the captain of her tennis squad at Hopewell High School.