TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University women's tennis team is finally back in action after having the previous two weeks cancelled due to inclement weather, taking on non-conference rival Bellevue College on Sunday. 
 
The Lutes (0-1) opened the spring season back on Feb. 2, falling 8-1 to the University of Puget Sound. That match, saw senior Michelle Batin clench her first singles win at the No. 5 position. 
 
"It was very nerve wracking to be back on the courts competitively for the first time since ITAs in September. However, I was very confident in my singles match as we have been playing a lot of singles as well during practices," said Batin. "I knew I had to be consistent with placing the ball in the court, I knew that I had to go diagonally forward when volleying, I knew I had to do 2nd serves on my 1st serves to consistently get the ball in play. Overall, I had to make sure to just keep the ball in and let my opponent make the mistakes which is what happened. However, it was very exciting knowing that I had won at the end because it was my first collegiate win!"
 
Batin is looking forward to enjoying her first and last season with the women's tennis team. As a senior in the nursing program who will be graduating in May, this is Batin's first year on the tennis team. Batin, a Covington, Washington native is no rookie to the sport. The last time she played competitively was at Kentwood High School. Batin had thought about playing on the team here coming in as a freshmen and made plans to tryout. 
 
"However, after some thinking I thought to myself that I wouldn't have the time to commit to the sport as I was before. I was so focused on my classes especially since I was already accepted into the school of nursing coming into PLU. I had to maintain my grades and nursing school was already hectic itself that it would be difficult to commit."
 
Now four years later, Batin finds herself back in the sport, balancing her academics and playing for the tennis team. 
 
"After these uncommitted years I missed playing for a team and playing competitively that I decided to play, especially since it is my senior year so I told myself 'why not!'"
 
As the spring season begins, Batin feels that the hard work the team put in during January will pay off. Individually, Batin has her goals set to improve while emphasizing what the team hopes to accomplish. 
 
"This season I look forward to improving my skills as an individual since this is my only full season as I am a senior. There is always room for improvement!" said Batin. "Our goal for the team this season is definitely consistency. Coach Cheri Campbell focused a lot with hitting consistency on the court. Another goal is to improve our endurance as matches can be very long hence, why we have both weight training and conditioning so that we may become stronger but also practice our endurance skills."
 
Off the court, Batin is a student in the nursing school. She is balancing clinical, practice, and weights, anything far from an easy task, but Batin is approaching the semester with optimism and gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of a tennis team again.
 
"As this is my senior year of nursing school, spring semester is looking very busy for me. Start of spring semester I will have three-day's worth of clinical which usually last about 8+hours. Especially, with practice and weight training it is going to be tiring but, I have to push myself to be better and stronger." 
 
Batin and the Lutes head up to Bellevue on Sunday with first serve slated for 12 p.m.