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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 2003)
Sports Editor Hank Hager hankhager@dailyemerald.com Oregon Daily Emerald SPORTS Best bet NBA: Denver at Cleveland 5 p.m., ESPN Wednesday, November 5, 2003 Destiny toward the hard court Junior Daria Panova’s path started as a figure skater but deviated when she found tennis Alex Tam Sports Freelancer Oregon junior Daria Panova strongly at tests to a belief in fate. One of Oregon's top women's players in the history of the program might not have ended up a tennis player. Growing up in Moscow, Panova, like DUCK TENNIS many other Russian athletes, tested her skills in the sport of figure skating. A far cry from the grass and hard courts, the ice rink was her sporting venue of choice. While on her way to figure skating practice at the age of 7, Panova encountered an an nouncement that invited eager and passion ate athletes to try out for a tennis organiza tion. Panova immediately turned to her mother and told her she wanted to sign up. From that point on, fate took over and the path to Oregon began. For the next seven years, Panova realized her natural ability to play the game and prac ticed for at least an hour and a half five days a week. Later, as she reached the age of 14, practices became more grueling and intense — upward of five or six hours a day — at the Sopot Academy in Russia. "1 didn't even have time for school or any thing," Panova said. As she grew older, she faced the reality of the recruiting process from colleges in the United States. The Ducks started courting the up-and-coming tennis sensation when for mer Duck Monica Giecsyzs helped to bring Panova's talents to Oregon. The Oregon ten nis coaches persuaded Panova to sign her let ter of intent and told her about the state. "(The coaches) told me that it was really nice here and that it just rains a lot" Panova said. Even though she had been to the United States just once for a tennis tournament, the assimilation to American culture was not a difficult process. Living in another country Adam Amato Photo Editor Oregon's Daria Panova, who expects to compete for the national championship this season, is heading to Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend to play in the ITA National Championships. Oregon head coach Nils Schyllander said she is one of the top 10 players in the nation. did not deter her from her goal of becoming the best tennis player possible. During her freshman year, Panova joined the team toward the end of the season and made an immediate impact on the Pacific-10 Conference and the national scene. She defeat ed three ranked opponents, including a win at her first-ever match in the NCAA tournament. Panova proved to herself and her team that she was the next rising star on the tennis circuit. "Obviously we feel very lucky (to have her)," head coach Nils Schyllander said. "She's pretty much one of the 10 people in the country today who can win the national championship. I think she legitimizes our whole program. It rubs off on the whole team, in a sense that our players get to play with her everyday and get to see what level the top players play and practice at." Her sophomore season last year proved to be one of the best in the history of the Ore gon tennis program. Turn to TENNIS, page 6 Lewis quieted after comments to Seattle paper Keith Lewis talked to Seattle media last week, but pays for it by not being allowed to speak to the press for the remainder of the season By Mindi Rice Senior Sports Reporter Senior Keith Lewis' attitude has gotten him in trouble before this season. Last season, Lewis called I lusky quarterback Cody Pickett "over rated" during a radio interview, and Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti banned Lewis from further interviews. "Keith did not listen to me last year," Bellotti said Monday. "We had a little chat - about certain things that I don't agree with, so he will not be available to the press or the TV or anybody." Yes, it happened again, albeit to a different Seattle media outlet. Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Ted Miller talked to Lewis be fore Saturday's game at Washington, and Lewis continued his DUCK FOOTBALL trend of giving a reporter plenty material. Turn to FOOTBALL, page 6 J UO ready for pre-season opener Oregon s 2003-04 season starts tonight when when the Basketball Travelers take to McArthur Court in an exhibition game By Jon Roetman Sports Reporter After weeks of battling one another in practice, tke Oregon women's basketball team will finally get some new competi tion. The Ducks face the Basketball Travel 115 IAIUI ^ til ers ton‘8hl ‘n t^ie*r season-opening exhi WUIVtCiM </i bition game at 7 p.m. at McArthur BASKETBALL - Oregon head coach Bev Smith said the Ducks are looking forward to facing other opponents even though their deep roster has kept com petition fresh in practice. "(Practice competition) hasn't gotten as old as it has in the past because of (our depth)," Smith said. "But there's still that sense that it's time to play someone else." Wednesday will mark the first time since early in the 2002 2003 season that senior forward Cathrine Kraayeveld will play completely healthy. The All-America candidate missed 13 games last season with a staph infection in her right knee. Kraayeveld earned Honorable Mention All-Pacific-10 Conference honors while averaging 14.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game but didn't qualify for conference or national statistics after playing in only 15 games. Turn to BASKETBALL, page 6 Emerald Cathrine Kraayeveld is an All-America candidate for the Ducks.
