FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History" continues with the 23rd moment on the list: Nova Southeastern University tennis goes a program-best 22-3 in 2007. 
  
Going into the 2006-07 season, the Sharks had quickly established its tennis program as a competitor in the nation's toughest NCAA Division II conference, the Sunshine State Conference. The program only needed two seasons of competition in DII to make the regional championship, and by the fall of 2006, they were repeat regional contenders and a top-10 nationally ranked squad.
 
The culmination of that success came in 2007, when the Sharks won a program-best 22 matches, by far the most in program history. NSU surpassed 20 wins for the only time in program history, and only lost to top-15 nationally ranked teams.
 
The season started with high expectations, even through an injury-riddled fall season. The Sharks brought in a hand full of high profile recruits to pair with six returners with NCAA Tournament experience, including ITA All-Americans Alexa Korotkevich and Ulia Talalenko.
 
"I think the team was exceptionally successful during that particular season because we had a group of true competitors that went the extra mile for a win," said Talalenko. "We all hated losing, even if it was during a practice match against another teammate. I think that competitive spirit helped us push each other during both practices and matches."
 
Losing would become uncommon for the Sharks that season. NSU opened up the year on an 11-match winning streak. The regular season was near flawless, with NSU only losing one match before the SSC Tournament. The loss came to No. 1 Lynn, the undefeated eventual SSC Champions, 5-4. The Fighting Knights pounced on NSU, taking all three doubles matches, but the mentally-tough Sharks nearly made a comeback by winning four of six singles matches.
 
From there, the Sharks went on to steamroll the rest of their schedule, winning the final seven regular season matches. In the SSC Tournament, the Sharks breezed by Saint Leo, 5-0, before defeating fellow regional contender Florida Southern, 5-3.
 
"Nobody simply showed up to practices just to put in the hours," stated Talalenko. "We worked hard to ensure that we were prepared for each match, even if it meant putting in the hours outside of scheduled practices. If a player was injured, she was in the training room daily. If a player was getting fatigued too quickly during practice, she was on the treadmill on her own time. If a practice session went poorly the day before a match, players would stay behind just to hit a few extra balls and work out any kinks."
 
All the extra work paid off for the Sharks when they received the second seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship, allowing them to host one half of the bracket at the Broward Community College Tennis Complex. The Sharks hosted Tampa, Florida Southern and Presbyterian, which now competes at the DI level.
 
NSU's tournament appearance was highlighted by its dominant win over Tampa, 5-0. In that match, the Sharks swept doubles play by a combined score of 24-5. Singles would end quickly after, with Talalenko winning, 6-1, 6-0, and Tsippy Waterman double-bageling her opponent in the fifth draw. Unfortunately the Sharks season ended in the following round when the Sharks were upset, 5-3, to Florida Southern, a team the Sharks had defeated twice already.
 
Despite the upset, the Sharks completed a historic season that has gone unmatched since. NSU had five players named as All-SSC honorees, while Korotkevich became the first player in program history to repeat as an All-American. In addition, NSU was also successful in the classroom. For the third straight year, the program had three athletes named ITA Scholar Athletes and the team was named an ITA All-Academic Team.

Check back with NSUSharks.com next Tuesday for the next #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History."

Moment No. 1: NSU Athletics is Born
Moment No. 2: Knights Chosen as School Mascot
Moment No. 3: Hansley Hired as Director of Athletics
Moment No. 4: Nova Adds Four Sports
Moment No. 5: Nova Joins NAIA
Moment No. 6: Nova Adds Three More Teams
Moment No. 7: Nova Helps Form FIAC
Moment No. 8: Nova Wins First Conference Championship
Moment No. 9: Baseball and Volleyball Win First Conference Titles
Moment No. 10: NSU Adds Softball
Moment No. 11: NSU Adds Women's Soccer and Wins FSC Tournament Championship
Moment No. 12: NSU Names Ray Ferrero Jr. as School's Fifth President
Moment No. 13: NSU Adds Women's Basketball and Wins Conference Title in First Season
Moment No. 14: NSU Jumps to NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference
Moment No. 15: Kyle Ruwe Becomes NSU's First NCAA All-American
Moment No. 16: NSU adds Rowing, Tennis and Men's Cross Country
Moment No. 17: NSU Breaks Ground on University Center
Moment No. 18: Rembe Becomes NSU's First Female NCAA All-American
Moment No. 19: NSU Men's Golf Wins First SSC Championship
Moment No. 20: NSU Unveils Sharks as New Mascot
Moment No. 21: NSU Enshrines Inaugural Hall of Fame Class
Moment No. 22: Women's Golfer Garcia Austt Becomes NSU's First-Ever NCAA Player and Freshman of Year

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