ECC's Joyce enjoys her national tennis experience

After getting a taste of national tournament action last season, Megan Joyce made the most of her return trip last week.

The 2008 St. Charles East High School graduate and her Elgin Community College teammates participated in the 2010 National Junior College Athletic Association women's tennis national tournament May 1-6 at the Reffkin Tennis Center in Tucson, Ariz.

Joyce, a sophomore who suffered a pair of losses at fifth singles during last year's national tournament, helped earn 4 of the Spartans' 6 points while playing both singles and doubles.

ECC recorded its best national finish in school history with a 23rd-place showing.

The Spartans were the top Illinois team in Division I, while Waubonsee Community College finished 31st with 1/2 point.

Playing at fourth singles, Joyce earned a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Rebecca Rogers of Jones County Junior College (Miss.) in her first-round match.

"I heard before the match that my opponent was nationally ranked and she was a tough competitor," Joyce said. "But hearing someone is better than me really got me going and I just kept fighting."

Joyce shot out to a 3-0 lead in the opening set and battled her way into the round of 16.

"I felt like an underdog coming in and I had some butterflies before the match, but watching some of my teammates play before me changed my attitude and I started to convince myself I can do it."

Despite her 1-6, 2-1 second-round loss to eventual semifinalist and No. 2 seed Francesca Bassoo of Lee College (Texas), Joyce came away satisfied with her effort.

"I was proud of the way I played that match," the St. Charles resident said. "I made her work for it and went deuce with her a couple times."

"She may have been outgunned (by her opponent) but you could tell she was all heart in that match," said veteran ECC coach Clark Hallpike, who has guided the Spartans to six national tournament appearances in seven seasons.

At second doubles, Joyce and South Elgin's Lauren Ferry outlasted first-round foes Agnes Burke and Julie Vuncannon of Harford Community College (Md.) in a memorable three-set match by scores of 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (3).

"We got off to a 4-0 start, but my partner had just gotten off the court from her singles match so she was exhausted," recalled Joyce. "She got really sick and almost passed out at one point. We took a medical timeout and then had a rain delay which really wound up helping us."

Down 5-2 in the decisive third set, Joyce and Ferry rallied to take a 6-5 lead and held on in the tie-breaker.

"We came together and had an amazing comeback," Joyce said. "We ended up being the last ones out on the court."

Hallpike wasn't surprised with the determination his doubles tandem demonstrated.

"Megan is the most intense player on the team," Hallpike said. "She's very emotional and passionate about the game. And Lauren (Ferry) is a very focused player who went undefeated in singles this year."

Joyce and Ferry were eliminated following a straight-sets loss to a team from ASA Institute (N.Y.).

Joyce, who hopes to continue her tennis career at Judson College in the fall, admittedly felt a tinge of relief after her first-round singles triumph.

"It was much more enjoyable and relaxing after that win," she said. "Last year, I didn't know what to expect and the heat became a big factor. But I prepared myself and my (doubles) partner for this year's tournament. I just felt much more relaxed."

During her two years at ECC, the Spartans amassed a 22-0 regular-season record in dual matches as well as a pair of Region IV tournament championships.

However, there's a big difference between beating home-grown opponents and facing national competition.

"We do very well locally but the national tournament is an eye-opener for everyone," said Hallpike, a native of Antigua who played soccer at Kent State University before turning his attention to coaching tennis.

"There are three divisions and we're actually a Division II school that is thrown into Division I. The Division I teams recruit from all around the world. It was like the United Nations at nationals with players from Germany and Canada.

"The experience is powerful. We all go to watch the finals. For most of these girls, this is the best tennis they'll ever experience."

Sophomores Marlena Aleksiejczyk (Jacobs), Dana Altieri (Elgin), Rachel Hegel (Elgin), Rebekah Hegel (Elgin) and freshman Dally Senesombath (Larkin) rounded out the Spartans' 2009-10 roster.

Former Batavia High School standout Alexa Schofield also participated at nationals, competing at No. 1 singles for Waubonsee. The freshman lost a 1-6, 4-6 first-round decision to Haley Craig of Johnson County Community College (Kan.) before dropping a straight-sets match in the consolation round.

The College of DuPage captured the Division III national team title, edging defending champion Kingsborough Community College (N.Y.) by half a point.

• Contact Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com.