DATE: Monday, September 29, 1997            TAG: 9709290071

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: EDENTON                           LENGTH:   45 lines

AT 7-0, EDENTON-HOLMES TENNIS COMES UP ``ACES''

When the girls tennis season started this fall, expectations were not high at Edenton-Holmes High School. But hard work has paid off, and now the Lady Aces are 7-0.

Edenton's unblemished record includes 9-0 shutouts over Lawrence Academy and Currituck County, and a rain-shortened 7-0 win over Northeastern.

Some of the matches have been more exciting. Tied at 4-4 against Roanoke, the match came down to the No. 2 doubles game. Beth Regulski and Courtney Evans came through with an 8-3 victory to give the Lady Aces the 5-4 edge.

``I've got a really great bunch of girls who really work hard. We're not that talented a team and the record is misleading,'' said Michael Koch, in his first year as head coach. ``They've worked hard and had some lucky breaks. They didn't have a strong team last year and they lost their number one and number three singles players from that team. Expectations weren't real high.''

Depth is Edenton's strength. Fifteen players have come out for the team and the Lady Aces are strong at the lower singles slots.

``A lot of the schools have a problem getting six girls out there. When you play team tennis, it's just as important having the four, five, or six player as it is having that top-notch player at the top,'' Koch said. ``Our four, five, and six players have been able to play against anybody we've played. And so far our number one and two are competitive.''

While first singles player Sarah Guttu (3-4) has to battle the top player every match, so far, the five and six players are undefeated. Danijela Miljanic, a foreign exchange student from the formerYugoslavia, is 6-0 at No. 5 singles. Ashley Westbrook, a freshman who plays five and six singles, is 7-0. The No. 2 doubles team of Regulski and Evans is 5-0. Regulski (5-2) also plays No. 2 singles and her sister Jenny plays fourth singles.

Koch said the team is a mixed bag of styles. Beth Regulski is an attacking player. Others are described as ``counterpunchers.''

``They've just been a great group and have pushed each other. We're winning right now on character and heart, and we have a well-balanced team. We don't have any big stars, but we're well-balanced from top to bottom,'' Koch said.

Koch admits that the tough part of Edenton's schedule is still ahead, including matches against Manteo and Williamston.

``The teams we've played are maybe not having their best year,'' he said. ``We may be catching them at a good time. We'll know more about our team after (today), when we play Manteo.''

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