[ColoradoTree]

Lampl's loss is disappointing but I wouldn't make too much of one match -- she could have been ill, post-midterms, bad matchup, trying out some stuff she's working on, etc. She played well at Riviera, losing to the eventual champion in 3 sets. Where I'm hoping she will improve this year is to capitalize on her very strong ground strokes by coming up to the net more to finish off points, and continuing to improve her decision making on when to go for a more difficult shot versus continuing to rally. I thought she did much better at both last year and hope for further improvements this year.

Of course, and you're right.  I guess I've just been hoping that we'd see Lampl make a similar leap that we saw Lord make last year, and that Lampl would really emerge this season, with an improved mental game to go with those powerful ground strokes.  There were a number of occasions last season where she had chances to clinch the match but lost tough 3-setters (I'm thinking of Ohio State and UNC in the NCAAs, and Vanderbilt earlier in the season). 

That said, she clinched her fair share of matches last year, too.  We don't win the regular season title without her win against ןɐɔ, we needed her win vs. Texas, and we really needed her win against TCU to advance in the tournament.  And until that North Carolina loss, she had a perfect 7-0 record in the NCAAs, which is crazy.  Fading late in 3-set matches wasn't as much of an issue her freshman year, but it was more prevalent last year against, to be fair, top-notch competition.  So, I don't mean to bag on Lampl, as no one on the team matches her competitive fire when playing.  I'm just hopeful that this is a blip, and she sharpens the mental side of things so that once she gets up a break, that set is over.  I'm mainly disappointed because that fire means I really like and root for Lampl, so the limited fall schedule means she's likely done with competitive singles matches (aside from consolation matches today and tomorrow) until January, which means fewer opportunities to fight for a higher lineup spot. 

[ColoradoTree]

Lampl's loss is disappointing but I wouldn't make too much of one match -- she could have been ill, post-midterms, bad matchup, trying out some stuff she's working on, etc. She played well at Riviera, losing to the eventual champion in 3 sets. Where I'm hoping she will improve this year is to capitalize on her very strong ground strokes by coming up to the net more to finish off points, and continuing to improve her decision making on when to go for a more difficult shot versus continuing to rally. I thought she did much better at both last year and hope for further improvements this year.

Of course, and you're right.  I guess I've just been hoping that we'd see Lampl make a similar leap that we saw Lord make last year, and that Lampl would really emerge this season, with an improved mental game to go with those powerful ground strokes.  There were a number of occasions last season where she had chances to clinch the match but lost tough 3-setters (I'm thinking of Ohio State and UNC in the NCAAs, and Vanderbilt earlier in the season). 

That said, she clinched her fair share of matches last year, too.  We don't win the regular season title without her win against ןɐɔ, we needed her win vs. Texas, and we really needed her win against TCU to advance in the tournament.  And until that North Carolina loss, she had a perfect 7-0 record in the NCAAs, which is crazy.  Fading late in 3-set matches wasn't as much of an issue her freshman year, but it was more prevalent last year against, to be fair, top-notch competition.  So, I don't mean to bag on Lampl, as no one on the team matches her competitive fire when playing.  I'm just hopeful that this is a blip, and she sharpens the mental side of things so that once she gets up a break, that set is over.  I'm mainly disappointed because that fire means I really like and root for Lampl, so the limited fall schedule means she's likely done with competitive singles matches (aside from consolation matches today and tomorrow) until January, which means fewer opportunities to fight for a higher lineup spot.