After a fall season that produced just one win for the combined Pennsylvania College of Technology men’s and women’s tennis teams, second-year coach David Straub is hopeful for improved spring showings for his squads.

The Penn College men open at home at the Central PA Tennis Center at 2 p.m. on Saturday, hosting Penn State Altoona. The women start on Friday, March 21, hosting King’s College, also at the South Williamsport indoor facility.

United East Conference play begins on March 29 for both teams.

Men’s tennis

Senior Alex Norris of Williamsport, last fall’s No. 1 singles player, is returning along with junior Kyle Shuler of Williamsport, who was No. 1 last spring, and senior Logan Ogden of South Williamsport, who was a United East second-team honoree a year ago and had a 3-1 fall season playing at Nos. 3 and 4 singles.

Freshman John Finnegan of Hughesville played at No. 2 singles in the fall, and Seth Priestman of Bloomsburg, another freshman, has “become increasingly skilled in his singles play after winning districts in doubles his last two years in high school,” Straub said.

Sophomores Hunter Knosky of Camp Hill and Matt Williams of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, are also in the mix.

“Practices are going as expected. It’s still difficult to get the players all together at once, but hitting balls will get our timing back and help the less experienced to shore up their fundamentals,” Straub said. “We also have several guys just below our starters that have game and are excited to play when called upon.”

In doubles last fall, Norris-Finnegan and Knosky-sophomore Jayden Manbeck of Bethel all finished 2-2.

Last season, the men were 2-9 overall and 2-5 in the United East.

Women’s tennis

“Our women’s team is pretty solid. Junior No. 1 singles player Ellen Buckley of Binghamton, New York, is back. She is a very solid, knowledgeable and committed young lady, a real asset to the team,” said Straub, whose team was 4-9 overall and 1-4 in the UE.

The coach continued, “Sophomore Faith Murray of Dillsburg will be at either No. 2 or 3 singles, depending on where we need her. She was our most successful player in the fall (3-1 record after going 6-5 a year ago), and there is no reason to expect any different this season.

“Junior Lauren Peck of South Williamsport has returned from deployment with the National Guard and is a rock-solid player at either No. 2 or 3 singles, where she was 5-1 last year. I am so happy to have her back.

“Freshman Chloe Campbell of Williamsport has joined us after playing several years at Williamsport Area High School and looks to be our No. 4 singles player. Sophomore Kayla Weinzierl of Summer Hill has returned and continues to improve and work on the process, and juniors Callistra Mahoney of Williamsport and Cicci Miller of Dover have returned. Both are very athletic young ladies and have shown an ability to learn tennis skills quickly. I’m excited to see how far these two will take this.

“Freshman Eliza Welshans of Jersey Shore has played recreationally in the past but is enthusiastic about learning and improving her game and is a welcome addition.

“Our teams have definitely improved over last fall (when the men were 1-3 and the women 0-5). I’m looking forward to our spring season.

“The key to success will somewhat be getting our best lineup to as many matches as possible. We have resident advisers, heavy credit loads, demanding lines of study, and most, nearly all, have jobs. Still, I’m optimistic, and I expect definite improvement.

“The United East has several powerhouse teams, and then there are several I would list as competitive. Ideally, we beat the teams we are capable of beating. This, to me, would be a successful season.