Syracuse head tennis coach Mac Gifford sat in his office Tuesday afternoon contemplating his team’s postseason chances.

With only two matches left — both out of conference — the Orangewomen have a good shot at the playoffs.

Syracuse plays Eastern Illinois in Champaign, Ill., this afternoon at 5 p.m., and visits Missouri in Columbia, Mo., tomorrow at 11 a.m. Winning both matches would bolster SU’s (7-10, 5-2 Big East) overall record, helping its cause for a Big East Tournament bid.

Tennis teams do not make the tournament strictly because of their conference record but rather based on the findings of a selection committee. Six teams are selected from the 14 teams in the Big East, and SU owns the fifth-best record in the conference behind Rutgers (6-3), Virginia Tech (4-1), Boston College (5-1) and No. 25 Notre Dame (2-0).

However, the committee weighs rankings most heavily, which means that No. 38 Miami would slide ahead of Syracuse in the standings.

‘Miami has such a great program,’ Gifford said. ‘Who wouldn’t want to play tennis out in the sun all day?’

With Miami ahead of Syracuse, SU stands on the bubble with Seton Hall (5-12) and Connecticut (11-5). The Huskies have a better overall record and defeated then-No. 10 Point Loma Nazarene, Calif., earlier in the season.

The most important match of the season for Syracuse will come down to something it can’t control: Sunday’s match between Seton Hall and Rutgers. Because Syracuse defeated Rutgers earlier in the season and Rutgers has defeated Connecticut, a Rutgers win would help SU’s case for the tourney.

‘It’s going to be a war,’ Gifford said.

Another war Gifford has in mind is a possible matchup between the Orangewomen and the Hokies in the Big East tournament. Virginia Tech knocked SU out of the playoffs last year and defeated Syracuse earlier in the year, 6-1. Still, the Orangewomen remain confident in their ability.

‘They’re a team we can beat,’ assistant coach Marni Nordstrom said.

The Orangewomen have been snakebitten with injuries this season. Among those who have visited the doctor in 2002: Sophomore Zani Suttle (shoulder, ankle), senior Katie Thompson (undisclosed injury), and sophomore Daniela Kaluskova (stomach virus). The latest victim, Alexa Konstand, suspects she has mononucleosis.

Sophomore Jessica Schlosser has been forced to switch from a two-handed to a one-handed backhand because of a shoulder problem. But this hasn’t stopped her from competing in 27 matches and posting a 5-2 record in doubles with freshman Kristine Bech Holte.

‘Learning that type of switch is like learning to walk all over again,’ Gifford said.

The whole team is battling similarly difficult struggles.

‘We’ve had a tough season and it’s the end of the semester,’ Suttle said. ‘We’re just drained and stressed.’

Published on April 11, 2002 at 12:00 pm