ELON, N.C. – After finishing undefeated in her last fall tournament at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center, senior
Miray Konar said she was just excited to put on the maroon and gold and compete again.
"I'm really happy to be back, playing next to my teammates was an amazing feeling," Konar said.
Konar stayed perfect for the Phoenix during the Elon Invitational, going undefeated in her six matches throughout Friday and Saturday, contributing to the team's 23 total wins.
Even after she notched a perfect weekend, Konar did not dwell on her success. Instead, she found herself looking ahead to the Elon University women's tennis team's spring campaign.
"I feel like this season is [going to be] special," Konar said. "We have a different chemistry this year. It's something different, something magical."
With the departures of established, veteran presences like Lizette Reding and Sibel Tanik, Konar is now the lone senior on the roster. With the team's key leaders from last season gone, Konar has been tasked with filling the void.
"I was always looking up to Sibel and Liz[ette], and this year I'm basically trying to make things how they did and trying to be a role model for the freshmen and sophomores," Konar said.
Konar said she has been trying to emulate the most effective qualities her former teammates possessed. Konar said that Reding and Tanik's ability to keep their composure in moments of adversity has inspired her leadership style approach for this season.
"The major thing that they did very well was they [stayed] very tough, in very tough moments," Konar added. "They were inspiring us very [well]. I'm just trying to do that too."
Similarly to Konar, freshman Lisa Kranec – who went 3-0 in singles play over the weekend – said she believes remaining resilient even in tough moments will be a key component to Elon's success during the spring campaign.
"It's always a battle out here but when you push through, you just feel so good about it," Kranec said. "Being able to push through and have that good mental attitude on the court every day is really going to end up making the difference in conference."
"Being able to push ourselves each and every day, not just physically, but mentally on the court, that will make the biggest difference," Kranec added.
Even with a hectic Division I athlete schedule, a heavy academic load and other extracurricular commitments, sophomore Simone Bergeron saw the weekend invitational as an opportunity not only to compete but also as an outlet to organize relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
Bergeron knows a lot of people who reside in the western North Carolina area, said Kranec, a Cary, North Carolina native. She has been engaged in helping those in need who are dealing with the destruction of Helene.
Bergeron's hurricane relief drive took place at the JPTC during the Elon Invitational. Donations included canned and dried goods, hygiene items, household cleaning items, paper products, baby supplies and bottled water.
Even though Bergeron's teammate Konar hails from Turkey, she has her own insight into handling the aftermath of a natural disaster. In November 2022, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Düzce, Turkey, and left mass destruction in its wake. In response, Konar created a donation link where people could donate funds and resources to aid in recovery efforts for her home country.
Western Carolina University, where Konar began her collegiate career, was also greatly affected by Helene. She said her friends at her former school in addition to her prior experience with natural disasters have made her realize just how impactful the smallest acts, donations and contributions can be to those affected by the hurricane.
"If we can do anything for them, it would be amazing," Konar said.
"We all want to be really supportive and reach out to get them the help and support they need to push through this so that they can rebuild and recover over there," Kranec added.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the state of North Carolina has established a Disaster Relief Fund to help with immediate needs. Click here to learn more. Many nonprofits are also accepting donations, including the
American Red Cross, the
United Way of North Carolina and the
Salvation Army.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, both Elon's football and volleyball teams will be holding their own hurricane relief drives during their respective games. Football plays host to New Hampshire at 2 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium. Volleyball will host Campbell at 7 p.m. inside Schar Center.
Click here to learn more about recommended donations. All individuals who donate an item will receive a free ticket to the game.
'Rising Phoenix' is a student-led initiative to cover Elon Athletics. Through innovative content creation and storytelling, Elon University students will have the opportunity to highlight the moments, people and events that make an impact, leveraging the athletic department's various web and social media platforms for distribution. Follow Rising Phoenix on X (@EURisingPhoenix) and Instagram (@elonrisingphoenix). Interested in joining this initiative as a content creator (video, graphics, writing, storytelling, or more)? Contact Chase Strawser at cstrawser@elon.edu.
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