The Falcon tennis team is staying busy during the summer by keeping its physical and mental game sharp for the next season as it adds three new players and bids farewell to two seniors.

Freshmen Nikki Chiricosta and Emily Reuland will join the team along with sophomore transfer Mary Hill. Chiricosta joins her sister Christine, this year’s sole team senior.

Christine Chiricosta is looking forward to working with the new players, mentioning how she is able to play tennis on a regular basis with her sister during the summer.

“This summer she is probably playing her best tennis ever,” Christine Chiricosta said. “She will definitely bring a lot of competition to the [team].”

While Chiricosta has not had the opportunity to see Reuland play, she said her tournament statistics are encouraging. Chiricosta said Hill, who comes from Coastal Carolina University, has been a friend since childhood and occasionally stays with Chiricosta in the summer.

“[Hill] plays a big game and hits a really hard ball,” Chiricosta said. “She will be a great addition to the singles lineup.”

Coach Penny Dean added Hill will be a big help in maintaining team morale and chemistry.

“She’s a very outgoing, likable type of person who gets along with everybody,” Dean said.

Dean said chemistry is an important factor for success, something she said was tough last year due to the age differences on the team, with a wide gap between freshmen and seniors.

This year, she feels chemistry will improve with more of a common age group, with six out of eight players being freshmen and sophomores.

Dean added Chiricosta and junior Jessica Easdale are probably going to take on more of a leadership role on the team.

“They both have younger sisters, so I think that should help them relate to the younger players,” Dean said.

Both Chiricosta and Dean stressed the importance of tournament play during the summer as a way to stay competitive during the summer months, where NCAA rules prohibit coaches’ involvement with training.

“Even if you’re practicing every day, it’s not the same as being in tournament shape,” Chiricosta said. “You really need the competition to practice mental strategies.”

In addition, teammates frequently play in the same tournaments, with the elder Chiricosta going to a tournament with Easdale, and the younger Chiricosta going to the Western Michigan Intercollegiate Tennis Association tournament with Hill and sophomore Katie Grubb.

Dean said the fact that Grubb, Hill and sophomore Jade Johnson are all from Northern Indiana will help the team chemistry.

“All three of them have played once a year or on summer teams together,” Dean said. “We’ll have a really good nucleus right there.”

Dean added competition experience is essential for success in doubles tennis, a strong point for the team last season winning three-quarters of its doubles points.

To create a successful doubles lineup, Dean said, three teams need to be put together for the doubles round, and finding the right combinations can be tricky.

“The teaching you do [in college tennis] would probably be more on the doubles court than anywhere else,” Dean said.

While tournaments are a great way to stay competitive during the summer, the players also have exercises outside of tournaments they can consider.

Like other teams, the tennis team is given a packet from the Strength and Conditioning department detailing work-outs that players are encouraged to do on their own while they are at home during the summer, though they do not have to due to NCAA rules.

Nate Kapsal, the tennis strength coach, said the tennis packets have to be general in nature because it is difficult to know what exercise resources each player can access during the summer, as only one was on campus this summer.

“Mostly during the summer, the goal is to get stronger because we don’t really get a chance to do that during the year,” Kapsal said.

Chiricosta said most players return to their United States Tennis Association Junior Competition coaches and clubs during the summer. She mentioned her parents are her coaches, and she plays with them and her sister.

“It’s easier for me than some of the others,” Chiricosta said.

In addition, Chiricosta said the team members make it a point to meet with each other a few times during the summer.

“[We meet] not only to hit but also just to see each other because everybody is such good friends.”

Dean said team dynamics vary from year to year due to the unique competitive nature of the sport, in terms of skill as well as personality.

“You have to find a fine line where you can keep practice energized, dynamic and competitive, but the girls aren’t going to hate each other by the time they’re in matches,” Dean said.

Ultimately, there are good expectations for next season.

“We have a lot of great combinations and a lot of really natural doubles players on the team to look forward to,” Chiricosta said. “The goal is to win MAC and to maintain a winning record that we’ve always had and pull off some big wins.”