The Sugar Bears tennis team is preparing for the upcoming season to begin, introducing two new players this season. Last semester the Sugar Bears were plagued by a shortage of members with two injured and unable to play, but now the team has recruited two new members and everyone is able to play. Their first match is Friday in Dallas, Texas against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. “Our first match is on the 29th of this month, so we have been training every day, Monday through Friday. We have been working on doubles this week,” Coach Rebecca Miller said. Last summer junior Allison Hartman underwent hip surgery and senior Kati Andersen had knee surgery, but both have been released by the doctor to begin playing again. “Six girls is not enough to compete with two injured,” Andersen said. Now that the team has recruited two members and everyone is healthy, they have some wiggle room if someone gets injured, she said. Freshmen Simona Horsikyan from Bulgaria and Maribelle Siegfried from Germany have proven themselves to be great additions to the team, Miller said. Siegfried is an excellent doubles player, and Horsikyan’s strong point is singles, she said. The team has five home games this season and will have 11 conference meets. “We do not really have any clear cut rivals. Northwestern and Lamar have been two very tough teams in the past,” Miller said. The team is scheduled to play against Northwestern State on Feb. 13 and Lamar on April 17. Both are away games. “I don’t really know much about the other teams right now, but I am confident that we will be a great team this season. We will fight hard. We have to play our best at all matches,” senior Lisa Mainz said. Due to past injuries, practicing became difficult, Miller said. Now that the team is back on their feet they have been training to become more aggressive, and the Sugar Bears have been working on flexibility and agility, Mainz said. “With our first match next Friday we have been trying to stay fit and healthy. I haven’t been allowed to practice; I’ve just been watching the team. They’ve been getting really strong and now that me and Allison have been released the team can only grow better,” Andersen said. Every player has been working on singles and doubles, Andersen said. This is the last season for many of the women of UCA’s tennis team. Three of the players are seniors and will be graduating, and the coach recently got engaged and will be moving to Texas. Miller said that it is important for the team to be close. “Being more closely bonded with my team is a 100 percent positive thing. When a team is close to each other, they can help carry each other when one is struggling and hold each other accountable in practice and matches,” Miller said. Miller said with more girls on the team and everyone fit, it is expected that the team will perform better at the match on Jan. 31 against Arkansas State than at the ASU Tournament. “The team would like for students to come out and support them whenever they can,” Andersen said. “I am excited for the season to get underway,” Miller said. “The girls have really been working hard.”