Last year the Mattituck Tuckers finished the season with a glittering 13-1 record and won the Suffolk County League VIII championship. This year the Tuckers have been moved up to League VII, where they will face perennial powerhouse teams like the Westhampton Beach Hurricanes and East Hampton Bonackers.

But it is a challenge that Christy relishes.

"This is a very, very good league," Christy said. "These are some heavyweight teams. But playing them makes us better."

Senior Suzanne Kelly, junior Jackie Maloney and freshman Erika Bundrick are all battling for the top three singles positions.

Mattituck also returns its top two doubles teams in senior Callie Homan and junior Laura Stackey at first doubles and a pair of juniors, Caty Austin and Ashley Finger, at second doubles. Senior Kelly Tuthill, along with sophomores Ashley Goller and Jennie Smith and freshman Olivia Cardinale, are vying for positions on the third doubles team.

The Tuckers' strength is their depth.

"We have a lot of equality on the team," Christy said. "We are strong at every point. We could win all seven points."

But a lack of match toughness could haunt Mattituck against some of the tougher foes.

"I know we're good and going to get better," Christy said. "If we play the way I know we are capable of playing, we will hold our own. We've got to take advantage of opportunities and finish off points. I am very confident. This is a wonderful group of girls that work hard. They like to compete. We have good chemistry. I have a good feeling we will turn the corner and take the next step."

As Allison Krupski, the new coach of the Southold/Greenport/Shelter Island Clippers (3-9), watched the way her team practiced last week, she said she wants them to use their intelligence to help them with their overall court management.

The Clippers return some experienced players. Sophomore Katie Siller will play first singles. Three seniors -- Kristen Helinski, Samantha Hokanson and Melanie Doroski -- are under consideration for the first doubles team. A number of players, including Holly Koehler, Rebecca Rothman and Jessica Orlando, will battle for the other singles and doubles positions.

Krupski, a 2002 graduate of Southold High School, is impressed with the intelligence of her players. "They make understanding the techniques that much easier," she said. "They hit the ball well and approach the net aggressively."

Krupski believes the key to having a successful season is to get off to a good start.

"A number of these girls played all summer long, which should help them with their consistency," she said. "I want them to use their brain to help them build on the basics. I want them to watch where the ball is coming from and what kind of spin it has on it so they will know how to react. I want to build some consistency here. I want the girls to know I am going to be around and the program can build some tradition."

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