Rob Scudder photo Lori Orthen, left, and Marilyn Miller have become the winning combination for St. Vincent College's tennis doubles team. Click photo for larger image.

Sometimes their opponents stare across the net, not sure what to think. Or what to say.

That's because they are playing against women more than twice their age -- Lori Orthen, 44, and Marilyn Miller, 49, who are juniors on the St. Vincent College women's tennis team.

They were paired together yesterday for the first time in doubles, forming possibly the oldest team in any NCAA sport.

Playing No. 2 doubles, Ms. Orthen and Ms. Miller were an 8-5 winner in a match against Megan Cooey and Marissa Fansler of visiting West Liberty State. The Bearcats are 9-3 with two matches remaining in the fall season.

"The only reason they haven't played as a tandem is because it makes us stronger to split them up," coach Jim Bendel said. "But it made sense to have them play together because this is a very good opponent."

Ms. Orthen, a former high school basketball star in Illinois who now lives with her family in Harrison City, has a 6-3 record at No. 2 singles this fall and is 8-2 with freshman Meghan Wells at No. 1 doubles. Ms. Miller, who lives in Johnstown, has a 5-2 record at No. 2 doubles despite missing some matches with aching knees or family responsibilities.

"There's still some confusion. Sometimes people come over to them and think they are the coaches," Mr. Bendel said.

"They walk out and give you that look, 'You've got to be kidding me. I'll be off the court in 20 minutes tops,' " Ms. Miller said. "After they've been in the match for a while and they realize you're not going away, there's that look of panic when they're behind: This old lady is beating me!"

Both women are full-time students who have returned to school after long absences. St. Vincent, which competes in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, is a Division III school, so it does not offer athletic scholarships.

"I was at a crossroads. I had been married 27 years and found myself single and I was unemployed," said Ms. Miller, an education major who attended the University of Pittsburgh for a couple years in the early 1970s. "I wanted to take control of my life. That's why I went back to school. I didn't start playing tennis until 10 years ago."

Ms. Miller said the experience yesterday was somewhat overwhelming with all the media attention on her match.

"That was a lot of pressure for us," she said with a laugh. "We played an extremely tough team. I'm thrilled at my age to be out there."

The two have played together often over the years in USTA events.

"Lori and I are on the same page," Ms. Miller said. "We both serve and volley and we both know where the other will be on the court. We take the guesswork out."