May 4, 2007
SANTA CLARA. Calif. - The West Coast Conference announced today that Santa Clara University seniors Erika Barnes and Casey Knutson were named the doubles team of the month for April, 2007. It is the first time that either player has earned the honor and they are the first SCU doubles team to be recognized this season.
"I am really proud of both Erika and Casey," said women's tennis head coach Ben Cabell. "They worked hard all year and they had a fantastic final month for us. I think that they definitely deserve the recognition and it is a great way for them to finish their careers at SCU."
Barnes and Knutson will go down as one of the best doubles combos ever at Santa Clara following their outstanding senior season. For the 2006-07 season, the tandem won 16 matches to tie them for the program record for wins in a season. They finished the dual season with a 13-5 mark, including nine wins in their final 11 matches. The highlight of the season came on April 13 when the pair knocked off the nation's No. 39 team of Renata Kucerkova and Anastasia Petukhova of Fresno State. The 9-7 win was one of the top doubles victories in program history. Barnes and Knutson finished sixth all-time in career doubles wins at SCU with 19 victories.
In the month of April, the pair went 6-1 and earned victories over No. 41 Washington State and No. 12 Fresno State at No. 1 doubles. They also won against San Francisco, Portland, Fresno Pacific and UC Santa Cruz. Their lone loss came at the hands of Saint Mary's. The duo closed out their careers in style with an 8-0 win over Megan Sporndli and Jenna Tanzer at the WCC Championships in Malibu.