Columns and Courts: Mizzou tennis emphasizes energy and consistency ahead of ITA Regionals

Millie Skelton refused to back down, Danielle Chapman controlled the court with her serve and Daria Budko made sure her teammates heard her voice.

Those were some of the defining moments of Missouri tennis’ final competitive practice Tuesday before the Tigers travel to Memphis for ITA Regionals.

The practice featured a series of competitive drills designed to sharpen the Tigers’ singles and doubles games before the tournament begins Thursday. Players competed in alternate-shot doubles, serving tiebreakers, singles hitting and live-ball doubles, with head coach Robin Goodman and his staff emphasizing consistency, discipline and energy throughout the session.

The tournament will mark the first time all nine Missouri players and all three coaches, including Goodman, associate head coach Manny Raga and assistant coach Bronte Murgett, will be together at the same competition. After splitting the roster between its first two fall tournaments, Missouri will have an opportunity to evaluate the group as a whole while continuing to establish the foundation of Goodman’s first season.

“The last two tournaments have been really good, we’ve got a positive record,” Goodman said.

“Fitness-wise, we’re in a great spot. The girls have improved a lot over the last few weeks with endurance, and they did a lot in the weight room, and their explosiveness and everything’s improving.”

Competition brings out the Tigers’ energy

The opening drill put the Tigers’ competitive spirit on display as two teams battled in an alternate-shot, crosscourt format. Budko, Mariana Higuita Barraza, Alex Ackman and Chapman formed one team, while Skelton, Evelyn Whiteside and Irina Anghel competed on the other side with the groups rotating through the drill.

Budko and Ackman remained vocal as their team fought through a competitive opening set, eventually winning 7-6. Their teammates stayed engaged after falling behind, and the opposing group responded by taking the second set 7-1 after overcoming an early deficit. The final set again showcased the intensity of the competition, with Budko encouraging her teammates even as they trailed before her group closed out a 7-3 victory.

That energy carried into the serving tiebreaker tournament, where players competed to seven points in a series of individual matchups. Chapman defeated Higuita Barraza 7-6, Skelton beat Budko 7-4 and Ackman topped Whiteside 7-3. Skelton continued to compete with the same intensity regardless of the score, while Ackman played sharp, controlled tennis to advance.

The next round featured Skelton against Ackman in one semifinal and Chapman against Anghel in the other. Skelton defeated Ackman 7-3, using her power to dictate points, while Chapman beat Anghel 7-4 behind a strong serving performance. In the final, Chapman defeated Skelton 7-3, consistently using her serve and the following shot to control the rallies.

Goodman said Chapman has established herself as a relentless competitor in practice, forcing opponents to earn every point rather than relying on unforced errors to win. Her performance Tuesday reflected that approach, particularly as she maintained control of the court throughout the later rounds of the tiebreaker competition.

“Every time I play Danny, I know I’m just going to have to make a thousand balls because she’s not going to give me anything,” Goodman said, recalling what one of Chapman’s teammates said during practice.

“They have to work for every single point when they play against her.”

Goodman added that Chapman’s value extends beyond her play, describing her as someone teammates trust and can turn to when they need support. That combination of consistency and leadership has made her an important part of a young roster still learning how to compete together.

Skelton, Chapman and Budko provide different strengths

While Chapman’s consistency and Skelton’s versatility stood out during the tiebreaker tournament, Goodman said the team’s development cannot be reduced to a handful of individual improvements. He pointed to the different playing styles across the roster as a strength, with each athlete contributing a distinct skill set.

Skelton demonstrated that versatility throughout Tuesday’s practice, using her touch, movement and ability to change the pace of rallies to frustrate opponents. Even when Ackman challenged her in the semifinal, Skelton remained composed and used her power to take control.

Goodman said her determination and willingness to move forward make her a difficult player to prepare for.

“She’s tough. She’s just tough and very determined,” Goodman said. “She’s got an awesome skill set on the tennis court. She can do anything. She can lift the ball, she can keep it all low, she can slice, she can come forward, she volleys really well.”

Goodman said Skelton is still developing a clearer understanding of her identity as a player, but believes she can continue improving by trusting her strengths and playing to them consistently. He also praised her maturity and leadership, qualities that can become increasingly important as the Tigers navigate their first tournament with the full coaching staff and roster together.

Budko supplied a different kind of impact through her constant communication and ability to energize the group. The 18-year-old freshman repeatedly called out encouragement during competitive drills, shouting “Go Tigers” and prompting teammates to respond. Even when her side fell behind, she remained vocal and engaged, helping maintain the intensity of practice.

Goodman said Budko’s ability to bring consistent energy to the court has been especially impressive for a freshman. He described energy as something that can either lift a team or take away from it, noting that players must learn to leave distractions outside the court and remain engaged with their teammates.

“Her energy is infectious,” Goodman said. “As soon as she shouts, ‘Go Tigers,’ you always hear one or two other people kind of copying that. I think that stuff goes a long way on a team.”

That standard became a recurring theme throughout practice, with Goodman and his staff calling out encouragement during matches and coaching players between points. The message was not simply to compete harder, but to recognize how each player’s attitude can affect the group around her.

Doubles and consistency remain priorities

The final portion of practice shifted toward doubles, first with service games and then live-ball rallies. The Tigers worked on communication, positioning and finishing points at the net, with several players showing the kind of instincts Goodman wants to carry into regionals.

Skelton and Whiteside worked well together, communicating throughout rallies and taking advantage of opportunities at the net. Skelton’s ability to dominate the net and Whiteside’s sharp volleys helped the pair win a lengthy rally, while Chapman continued to produce clean swings and finish points aggressively. Anghel also delivered an overhead winner after Chapman set her up with strong groundstrokes.

Ackman showed her own effectiveness at the net during doubles work with Budko, using timely poaches and strong volleys to finish points. Budko continued to provide vocal encouragement, while Anghel maintained her competitive intensity even after losing rallies, often acknowledging teammates with high-fives and remaining engaged in the next point.

Goodman also used the doubles session to work individually with players, including Higuita Barraza, discussing how her playing style could become an advantage in doubles. Those conversations reflected the staff’s effort to develop players beyond the immediate results of a practice match and identify how their individual strengths can translate into different competitive situations.

The emphasis on doubles comes as Missouri prepares for a tournament that will test more than individual shot-making. Goodman said the staff has been evaluating practices through statistics, recorded results and conversations about how drills can be adjusted to improve the team’s preparation. He explained that even a familiar drill can serve a different purpose depending on whether the focus is competition, footwork or positioning.

Ahead of regionals, the staff has intentionally increased the amount of competitive work and doubles play. The goal is to enter the tournament with a clearer understanding of each player’s strengths while continuing to develop the habits that will matter throughout the spring season.

Building a foundation beyond regionals

Although ITA Regionals offers players an opportunity to earn important collegiate ranking points and potentially make a run toward NCAA qualification, Goodman said the Tigers are not making individual outcomes the primary focus.

Instead, the staff wants players to establish routines, compete for every point and support teammates after matches.

Missouri’s first two fall tournaments featured different halves of the roster, making this week’s trip an important opportunity to bring the group together. Goodman said the team’s camaraderie has continued to improve, and the coaches have been working through how they will divide responsibilities, conduct individual meetings and provide match coaching throughout the tournament.

The trip also will give the players more time to strengthen their relationships away from the court. The team will stay together in an Airbnb, where Goodman hopes shared meals and time together will contribute to a stronger team culture. The staff also plans to emphasize recovery, nutrition, rest and other details that can influence performance over a long tournament.

Goodman said the program is still in the process of establishing its identity, making the habits developed now just as important as the results on the scoreboard. Players will be expected to support one another, maintain their competitive energy and apply the lessons from practice when the matches become more difficult.

“We’re not talking too much about necessarily outcomes still at this point,” Goodman said. “We’ve got to get the culture right. We want to build a foundation, a program that’s going to last.”

For Missouri, Thursday’s opening matches will offer another measure of the progress made since Goodman took over the program in May. Tuesday’s practice showed a group that is learning how to compete together, with Chapman’s consistency, Skelton’s versatility and Budko’s energy providing different examples of the identity the Tigers are trying to establish.

The next step is carrying those qualities into Memphis, where the full roster will have its first opportunity to compete together under all three coaches. Goodman believes that if Missouri continues to emphasize its preparation, discipline and team culture, the results will follow.

Tiger Top Spin will return Monday recapping the ITA sectionals and the June Stewart Invite. Columns and Courts will be back next Wednesday with more insight into Mizzou Tennis.