When it comes down to the wire, women’s tennis player Kim Plaushines knows how to deal with the pressure.
- J. Brady McCollough
- DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
Kim Plaushines will help lead a push for a Big Ten Championship.
In Michigan’s matchup against DePaul three weeks ago, she provided the team with a victory in a tough three-set win at No. 5 singles. Then again, two weekends ago, against No. 14 Kentucky, Plaushines pulled out a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 match to secure a second win for the team.
“We were really happy to get the win over Kentucky,” Plaushines said. “It came down to the wire, and the team fought hard; everyone wanted that match.”
Plaushines, the right-handed junior from Wisconsin, has had an incredible tennis career dating back to prep school, where she compiled an impressive 119-5 match record overall. In 2000, she was ranked 13th in the USTA Midwestern rankings. And Plaushines continues to set high standards at Michigan, as she is 4-0 in her singles matchups this season. Plaushines accounts her success to the incredible support she has from the team.
“We get along really well, and we all care for one another,” Plaushines said. “Having that support really helps. It’s a lot easier to pull through the tough matches when you know the team is out there for you.”
With the team’s season starting in September and finishing in April, the girls have a rigorous schedule that is a non-stop commitment.
“It’s a long season, and the girls have been working really hard,” coach Bitsy Ritt said.
Coming off a two week break, the Wolverines are getting prepared to kickoff their Big Ten schedule against Penn State this weekend. Ritt saw the past two weeks as a chance for the girls to prepare themselves mentally for the tough season ahead of them.
“This break hopefully allowed them to get enough practice sets in to feel confident as we start playing our Big Ten competitors,” she remarked.
As the eight girls advance into the most important part of their season, they have many goals set in their minds, but the ultimate goal of every player is to win the Big Ten Championships.
“We’ve been working really hard, and we want to win (The Big Ten Championships),” Plaushines said.
And with the team’s motto, as ‘Every ball, every point, every day,’ it’s hard to believe that it won’t happen.