TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

It was pretty exciting considering it was my first year. We didn’t have many new people on the team, it was only me and Smaranda, the girl from Romania. It was pretty amazing.

With the variable climate that is Buffalo, NY, how difficult is it to determine whether or not you will be playing your match inside or outside?

I think that we’re a pretty adaptable team, we can adjust to anything and it’s really important to be like that when you’re in a spot like this. We just have to take things as they come.

You were born in Feilding, New Zealand. What made you decide to attend UB?

First I went to a school in Mississippi as a freshman. When I was in New Zealand. I always aspired to come to school in America on a tennis scholarship. I actually found UB on the Internet. It was an opportunity and I just took it.

The team features an extremely international flavor, with players from six different countries. What has it been like to play on a team with so much diversity?

I love it. Our team is so diverse that it’s amazing how we can all get along. It shows in our results and academics.

You play both singles and doubles. How do the two differ and which do you prefer to play?

I like both; singles is more of an independent game than doubles, which is a team game. I like playing doubles because I’m a very aggressive player and I like coming into the net and that’s what doubles is all about, winning a point at the net. Singles is sometimes a challenge for me because it’s very mental, you have to be prepared to stay back a lot and adjust to change. I like both. I like controlling the game.

The fall portion of your season isn’t Mid-American Conference competition. How does the fall prepare you for the spring season, considering there is such a long break during the winter?

In the fall, we’re doing a lot of conditioning and that’s really preparing us for the spring season, which is our main season. We do a lot of team-building exercises in the fall as well. In the spring, it’s more playing, more on the court.

Last season, the team made it to the MAC finals. How do you expect to compete in the MAC this year and who do you think your toughest opponent will be?

We’re aiming to take the MAC title this year and I think we’ve got it, we’re right there. Our toughest opponent will probably be Western Michigan again. We played them in the final last year and it was tight.

When you’re not in school or playing tennis, what do you like to do for fun?

I like to relax, hang out with friends, and just take it easy.

With New Zealand located on the other side of the world, how often do you get home and do you ever get homesick?

Initially, when I came as a freshman, I got very homesick. I haven’t been home for two years. During my breaks, I have been to Europe doing other things, I have family in Europe.

What has been your favorite moment as a UB student-athlete?

Achieving the MAC finals. It was pretty outstanding considering the previous teams had not achieved that much. It was awesome.

“The 10 Questions With…” feature is compiled by Jackie O’Brien.