Gomez reflects on international play while looking ahead to senior year

Most people wouldn’t travel halfway around the world to play tennis, but for senior Maria Gomez, that’s just another crosscourt she is willing to travel.

“I always wanted to play tennis,” Gomez said. “The sport caught my attention when I was young and I loved it ever since.”

Gomez, a native of Colombia, was ranked the number one player in her home country in each of the last six years before she started playing for ECU, as well as in every age division since she was 12 years old.

“When I reached the number one spot, I was still competing after that,” Gomez said. “I was always practicing and traveling a lot in South America for different tournaments.”

In August of 2012 and 2013, Gomez played in the Copa Club Farallones in Cali, Colombia. Both times she made it to the quarterfinal matches, but could not get past that round. In 2012, she fell in two sets, 2-6, 1-6, while in 2013 she lost the first set 3-6, won the second set 7-5 to force a third set, but ultimately fell 3-6.

Gomez also competed in the Copa Ciudad de Bogota in Bogota, Colombia at the end of July in 2013 to the beginning of August 2013. She also made it to the quarterfinal match of that tournament but fell 4-6, 2-6.

Even though she played most of her tournaments in Colombia, Gomez has also competed in places such as Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. While competing in numerous international events, playing both singles and doubles in the International Tennis Foundation events, she reached the quarterfinal rounds multiple times.

Coming to ECU, she not only had to adjust to living in another country, but to the different playing style at the collegiate level as well.

After having as much success as she did before joining the Pirates, there was a certain level of expectations set in place for Gomez as she stepped onto the court for ECU the first time.

“The coaching staff and my teammates helped me adapt to ECU,” Gomez said. “I didn't know what to expect when I came here but my teammates and coaches helped me like this school.”

In Gomez’s first year at ECU, she had a 11-17 overall singles record which included an 8-14 record in dual matches. Gomez played at the No. 3 spot in the dual singles lineup where she tallied an 8-13 mark. Gomez Led the team with 17 doubles wins and teamed up with former tennis player Neena Wanko to lead the squad with as 14-8 record in dual matches which came playing at the number 2 spot in their matches.

Sophomore year, Gomez did not play singles as she was called “the doubles specialist” by her coach. She had a 4-1 overall doubles record, including a 2-0 mark in dual matches playing at the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

“Gomez is a very solid player on this team,” head coach Tom Morris said. “She had a very good freshman year, and has made a difference in doubles play the past couple of years.”

During her junior year campaign, she helped the Pirates get as far as the quarterfinal match of the conference tournament and finish with a record of 12 wins to 11 losses. Gomez had a 2-1 record in singles play with a doubles record of 11-5.

After being limited in her singles play the past couple of years, Gomez is looking to have a bigger impact on the team as a veteran.

“We are hoping that all of us will be better,” Morris said. “Gomez has been a wonderful addition to the team. She has very good knowledge of the game of tennis and is a great student athlete on and off the court. Gomez has been working hard all summer, and we’ll see what happens in a couple of weeks when we start competitive play.”

Gomez is currently in her last year at ECU, and is looking to play in more singles matches while continuing her dominance in doubles.

“This has been a great opportunity for me,” Gomez said. “I have been able to grow as a person on and off the court. Me and my teammates spent so much time together, we practiced together and understood how each other felt. I will definitely miss my teammates after this.”