The Southeast Missouri State women's tennis team is set to return to the court for another season, this time with a new coach, Mary Beth Gunn. She was hired in November of 2015 after fall play ended. The Redhawks have only two juniors on a roster with three sophomores and three freshman and no seniors.

Gunn, who has coached at Western Illinois, Limestone College and UT Martin, said she is excited to be at Southeast and is eager for the first tournament.

"I think we have a lot of talent on this team," Gunn said. "We can hit with anybody, if we can get everybody on the same page on the same day."

Junior Mila Majtan is a transfer from Coastal Carolina who left after the 2015 season and is eligible to play this season for the Redhawks. Majtan won nine games at the fifth and sixth spot in the two spring seasons she competed at Coastal Carolina. Now, she is expected to take on an even bigger role, playing both singles and doubles with junior Annisa Warasanti, and she is willing to accept the challenge. Majtan played only single competitions while at Coastal Carolina and, now at Southeast, she has the opportunity to play both.

"It's something that I love doing," Majtan said. "I enjoy it."

Majtan won eight total matches in the fall, five of which were singles, making her tied for the second most wins on the team in the fall. She won three doubles matches with sophomore Viviana Ortiz and two of the doubles matches with freshman Isabella Krupa.

Expectations throughout the team are fairly high, with the goal in mind to make the Ohio Valley Conference tournament at the end of the season -- something the Redhawks haven't done since 2007.

Sophomore Mariya Kostiuk is one of the top returners for Southeast this year. Kostiuk had five wins in the fall along with Majtan, and looks to continue the success of the fall into the spring.

"We want to get into the OVC tournament," Kostiuk said.

The conference tournament takes only the top six teams, so it will be a tough challenge, but coach Gunn thinks this team can handle it.

"We are focused on making it into the conference tournament," Gunn said in a press release. "We will be engaged in a tough match every time we step out onto the court."

The players are noticing a different type of atmosphere and have already built a bond with Gunn.

"Our practicing this year is way better," Kostiuk said. "Our coaching is awesome. It helps not traveling every other day."

The team has been going to Paducah to practice in indoor courts, considering Southeast doesn't have the luxury of an indoor court for practice. The team settles to practice inside the Student Recreation Center-North inside the track.

Southeast dropped its opener of the season to Illinois State 6-1 on Friday before bouncing back and defeating Chicago State 6-1 on Saturday. The Redhawks dominated Chicago State winning all three doubles matches and winning the top four positions in singles competition.

Southeast will continue its stretch of road competition against St. Louis on Feb. 9. The team's first home match will not be until April 1, when it will host Austin Peay midway through the Ohio Valley Conference schedule.