Isabel von Stryk Nets a Pair of Conference Honors
4/19/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate freshman Isabel von Stryk has garnered a pair of post-season Atlantic Sun accolades, the league office in Macon, Ga., announced today.
Von Stryk was an All-A-Sun Second Team selection and the first-year Spartan also picked up All-Freshman team honors. The Spartan rookie played all 20 singles matches at position No. 1 while she teamed with Talia Rojas at doubles No. 1 (21 matches).
"It is always a great honor to have an athlete recognized by other coaches for league honors," said head coach Dr. Oliver Trittenwein. "Isabel had a strong season playing at the top of the women's lineup in both singles and doubles. I want to congratulate her on the two awards she received today. It is a great honor, not only for our team, but for the university as well."
In singles play, von Stryk opened the season winning four of her first five singles matches. During the middle portion of the season von Stryk struggled but she was able to recover in conference play as she posted five wins over her final seven matches to post nine wins this season. In doubles action, von Stryk and Rojas combined for eight doubles victories in 2012.
The Spartans came within one match of advancing to the conference tournament in the team's first season of post-season eligibility. The Spartans entered Saturday's finale at ETSU needing a win and a loss by Jacksonville (at Kennesaw State) in order to advance to the six-team event. Upstate got the help it needed as the Owls downed the Dolphins; however, the Spartans were unable to punch their ticket to the tournament as the fell to the Bucs in the regular season finale.
Despite falling just short of the conference tournament, the women were vastly improved in 2012 compared to 2011. A season ago, the women's team failed to win a match, but this season they were on the cusp of advancing to the A-Sun Tournament.
