The Knoch girls tennis team did not have a season to remember last year — but that doesn't mean this year can't turn into something special.

With eight starters back from last year, last year's 6-14 record doesn't appear to be in the Knights' future.

"We were in the toughest section in the state last year," said Knoch coach Ken Nieser.

"We were 0-12 in the section and we could have won three matches. We should have been 2-10 ... We weren't a bad team.

"We just moved down to Class AA this year and every team we played in Class AA last year, we won. My team is a good team.

"We will compete in the section," Nieser added.

Here are capsule previews of Butler County area high school girls tennis teams:

Butler

Coach: Alisa Green, ninth year

2009 record: 9-5 overall, qualified for WPIAL playoffs

Singles: No. 1-junior Courtney Gallagher; No. 2-sophomore laura Brestensky; No. 3-junior Abbey Turner; No. 4-freshman Zoey McCafferty

Doubles: Sophomores Rebecca Bright and Molly Moses and seniors Emily Christensen and Alainee Summerville among others will compete for the spots.

Green says: "This will be a developing year because we lost so many seniors, plus we had three girls who normally play in the varsity lineup that did not come out (including one that moved). They would have been some of our top players."Grove City

Coach: Gary Cimperman, first year

2009 record: 13-2 overall; region champions

Singles: No. 1-senior Megan McGill; No. 2-Meredith Trent; No. 3-Abigail Casalnova

Doubles: No. 1-Katie Birmingham and Kelly Baglia; No. 2-Kayla Sample and Alexis Belligatti

Cimperman says: "I kind of expect the team to be pretty much the same as last year. We've circled Kennedy Catholic on our schedule. We have very strong doubles players. We're looking for a singles player to step up and get that third point."Knoch

Coach: Ken Nieser, second season

2009 record: 0-12 in the section, 6-14 overall

Singles: Juniors Katie Conlon, Brooke Ross, Abby Conlon and Alyssa King

Doubles: Seniors Kiki Gordon and Kassie Fissore, junior Peggy Kanterman and sophomore Alexandra Muck

Nieser says: "I like the flexibility of our team. We have different options right now. We'll try to solidify it more this week and as the season goes on."Mars

Coach: Mark Varlotta, 10th season

2009 record: 7-9 overall

Singles: No. 1-sophomore Kaitlyn Craig; No. 2 and 3-Shireen Ghaznavi, Liz Carpenter and Breanna Beck

Doubles: No. 1-sophomores Beck and Alanna Michalski; No. 2-seniors Madison DuBrock and Ellen Limback as well as senior Chelsea Then and junior Brittany Bunner

Varlotta says: I've been coaching 10 years and this, by far, is our deepest team from No's. 1 through 7. They're all pretty well matched up. I think we have a realistic shot to make the playoffs. We are in a tough section."Seneca Valley

Coach: Eric Grove, third season

2009 record: N/A

Singles: No. 1-sophomore Elisa Park; No. 2-sophomore Alexis Brockway; No. 3-senior Kirsten Garczynski

Doubles: No. 1 juniors Shelby Resch and Julia Vandrak; No. 2-junior Annie Ryan and either seniors Amy Kinzler and Carly Clifton or sophomore Lexie Rudolph

Grove says: "Usually in our section it's North Allegheny and Pine-Richland, then its bunched up with Butler, Hampton, North Hills and us competing for that third playoff spot. I think we'll be competitive versus all those schools except against the powerhouses. We're shooting for third. That would be nice."