The NIU women’s tennis team will begin its 1990 quest for back-to-back North Star Conference titles and a top-10 midwest ranking.

The Huskies boast four returning players in Hild Andersch, Monika Larson, Jamie Cheek and Lisa Boedecker. For seventh-year coach Patty Groth, her team improves every year and she expects this year’s squad to improve last year’s No. 14 Midwest ranking. Groth said the Huskies strengths are their depth and winning attitude.

“We have so much depth that it hurts. It hurts me to tell the two girls that they won’t be in the singles or doubles line-up,” Groth said.

The Huskies will face their first test Friday, when they travel to Champaign to battle the University of Illinois. “I think we’re right up there with the Big Ten teams,” Groth said. “We’ll give (U of I) a good showing. All our girls hit the ball hard. We’re not going to beat any Big Ten teams playing a lofty game. They all hit hard and that’s what it’s going to take,” Groth said.