USTA Missouri 40+ 3.5 Women’s Team Qualifies for Nationals

Pell — the 2022 USTA Missouri Player of the Year who is in her first year captaining — noted USTA Oklahoma had a distinct numbers advantage. But her players stayed locked in to bring home the title.

“It was kind of funny. They either had a large team or lots of fans,” Pell said. “Throughout the whole match, all you could hear was ‘Go Tulsa. Go Tulsa.’ We had like three people cheering for us. We laughed about it afterward. Everyone just focused on their court and didn’t really let a lot of outside things bother them.”

Pell said she and her doubles partner were so focused on their match they didn’t recognize their USTA Missouri team was in position to win the Section Championship until they got off court. When the second doubles team also came through with a victory and the third doubles team claimed the first set, Pell knew her team had done enough to clinch the title.

“There are a couple things going through my mind,” Pell said. “You want to celebrate. But we’ve been on the losing side. We were respectful too of the other team not going. You can’t just have a huge celebration. As competitors, it is frustrating to lose a match. And there is always a loser on one side.

“At the end, you’re physically exhausted. Many of us were mentally exhausted. You’re super excited. ‘Oh my gosh, we did it.’ And then you’re just like, ‘I am so tired.’ That was a very hard weekend both physically and emotionally. And I just thought our team did awesome.”

Pell credited her 12-person team for being supportive of her decisions and allowing her to captain well. The squad is set to compete at the 2023 USTA League National Championships on October 6-8 in Tucson, Arizona. Within a handful of days of capturing the Section Championship, the 10 team members who are able to make the trek booked flights and secured lodging.

“I am really excited for some of the ladies who have probably heard about Nationals and might not ever have the opportunity to go again,” Pell said. “They are really excited. I’m happy for our team and for those who haven’t been. It is a great experience.”

Three members of the 40+ 3.5 women’s team have prior experience competing at USTA Nationals. Pell and Leslie Echols, USTA Missouri executive director, were on the 7.0 mixed team that made a stunning run to Nationals in September 2022. And Nancy Winters and Huong Doan were on a team that made back-to-back Nationals appearances a decade ago.

While everyone else will be making their inaugural Nationals appearance, two of Pell’s players are on Vogel’s 65+ team that likewise qualified for Nationals. Vogel’s team is slated to compete in the 65 & Over Invitational in January 2024.

“We’ve got some great experience and great players,” Pell said. “We of course are going to play our very best, but I also want it to be a fun experience for everyone. So everyone is going to play pretty much an equal amount of matches. We’re going to try to represent Missouri Valley well while we’re there.”

Pell said a competitive regular season and Districts prepared her team for Section Championship play. Springfield fielded three teams at the 40+ 3.5 level while Columbia had one. Six regular-season matches followed by two District matches helped ensure Pell’s crew was battle tested for sectionals. Pell said USTA Missouri teams haven’t always fared well at Section Championship events, but that tide is beginning to turn.

“In the past people see Missouri in their pool and think, ‘That’s a win.’ And honestly it has been in years past,” Pell said. “I’ve been to many Section Championships, and I don’t know if we ever got through pool play. People in the Missouri district are practicing, going to clinics. We play all the time. For 3.5s and 4.0s, 4.5s play with them. Everyone is encouraging and wants everyone to be a better tennis player.

“That is a big change I’ve seen the last couple years. It’s super exciting. Just to be able to go compete on that level and then actually play on a Sunday in the semis is something Missouri is not known for. We’re making a name for Missouri. And people will have to think twice about that is a for sure win.”