THEY'VE GOT HIGH HOPES.

Byline: Jarre Fees Daily News Staff Writer

Everyone knows an ant, can't

Move a rubber tree plant.

For two hours a day, three days a week, rookie coach Susan Roberts works with a group of aspiring tennis players at Moorpark's Tierra Rejada Park. The team's level of experience ranges from none all the way up to very little.

And the ants on the Moorpark High inaugural girls' tennis team are about to discover the rubber tree plant known as the Marmonte League.

With an enrollment just upward of 1,700, Moorpark this fall leaves the Frontier League to join the ranks of large schools such as Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley, which won the Marmonte League girls' title last fall, and Agoura, which last year boasted top-seeded singles player Brooke Borisoff, who ended the season with a 38-1 league record.

But Roberts, a special education teacher at Moorpark High who played on the Moorpark College women's tennis team, has high hopes for her fledgling players.

``We all know the teams we're playing have practically grown up on the court,'' Roberts said. ``But these girls have a lot of heart. And they've come so far. They have natural talent.''

Senior Jessica Ferrante, who also plays varsity soccer at Moorpark, admits playing a new sport against experienced teams is daunting.

``Last year in the Frontier League we expected to win in all the sports,'' she said. ``The schools are smaller and the competition's not that great. This year's going to be different.''

The 24-member Moorpark girls' teams - varsity, junior varsity and freshman - are manned by 15 players who had never held a tennis racket before June, when newly appointed coach Roberts issued an open invitation for tryouts.

``It's been hectic,'' said Roberts, ``because I only had 1-1/2 weeks to put the team together. And we only have two courts for all 24 girls to practice on.''

Ferrante, one of the more experienced players, admitted her expertise comes from ``having hit the ball around a few times'' with her mother. ``And my grandpa,'' she added. ``Not exactly enough to know what I'm doing.''

Roberts is impressed by Ferrante's natural ability, along with the talent of teammates Lynne Simpson, Melanie Tormos and Karin Hanson. But it's the early skills shown by Jessica Lesiak, Pamela Tonini and Jyl Bronkowski that most inspire the team.

``I wish I had a video of what they looked like in June and what they look like now,'' Roberts said. ``Their biggest edge might be that people will think these guys don't know anything. They didn't even know how to keep score. People might think they can walk all over us, and that might be our greatest advantage.''

The formation of a Moorpark High girls' tennis team is in compliance with CIF guidelines for gender equity. The school also plans to field a girls' golf team this fall, the first time girls' golf has been sanctioned as a Southern Section sport.

Although the school district and the City of Moorpark have raised funds for new tennis courts, Roberts doubts construction will be finished in time for the home opener on Sept. 15, when the Musketeers face Thousand Oaks. Home games are scheduled to be played at Moorpark College until the courts are completed at Moorpark High.

Whatever hardships her young team faces, Roberts has high hopes for its future.

``They've worked so hard,'' she said. ``I couldn't ask for a better group of girls. And the freshmen are going to be so strong when they hit varsity level.''

Look for a rubber tree plant, coming soon to a tennis court near you.