The sentiment after the 6-1 loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament resembled that of the entire season. The Penn State women's tennis team just couldn't make it over the proverbial hump. With a final record of 8-14 (2-8 in the conference) a one-and-one showing in the season-end tournament and a minor statistical improvement over last year, the Nittany Lions, at best, feel satisfied.

Throughout the season, 4-3 match losses plagued the Lions. At times, Penn State women's tennis coach Buffy Baker felt that her team had all the firepower to claim important victories but lacked the mental determination to pull it off. And, though six critical losses concluded the long season, the Lions mustered the grit to end Iowa's tournament hopes in the first round.

But that would be their last win for the 2002-2003 season, as Big Ten regular-season title holder Minnesota ended Penn State's tournament run the following day.

"It was good to beat Iowa," said Leigh Ann Merryman, the lone junior on the team. "But it was really tough losing to Minnesota, we thought we had a really good chance against them."

The previous weekend Penn State had faced off against Iowa and Minnesota. Both matches were lost by a score of 4-3.

The trip to Urbana, Ill., did end sooner than the Lions might have wished, but they knew it was worth the one last hurrah they all needed.

"[The tournament] made everything worth it," Lindsay Downing said. "The tough practices and matches were all worth it to get to play with everyone one last time."

All season long, the women expressed an air of unity developed through their on- and off-court friendships. They agree that personal relationships with seniors April Uy and Judy Wang will be missed next year.

Uy and Wang's departures leave Merryman as the only senior coming into next season. Though she will have five other returning teammates, four of which will be juniors, Merryman knows that she will have to carry much of the leadership role next year.

"Buffy wants to see more determination next year," Merryman said. "Some of our practices we just hit and giggled, and we need to practice harder if we want to win those tough matches."

Three freshmen also will be joining the team in the fall. Expectations are set just as high for the newcomers, especially for one prospect hailing from India, according to Merryman. Returning sophomore Maaria Husain, who occupied the No. 3 spot this year, will also be an important key to 2003-2004 success.

Practice is officially concluded for this year and summer training will be on an individual basis. Baker asks her players to compete in tournaments over the next several months to keep on top of their games.

But those close losses will linger in the minds of the returning athletes and the work ethic should improve accordingly.

"You learn more from losing than you do from winning," Downing said. "We're all constantly improving. You can't be satisfied no matter what you accomplish."

Hopefully, those lessons will be enough to spur the determination that Baker sees missing.