Last Friday, women’s tennis kicked off their season by destroying Colorado Christian 9-0.
With an aggressive attitude coming from the doubles teams and undeniable perseverance from the singles players, the team was able to win every match and start off the season completely undefeated.
Head coach Anthony Weber appreciates the hard work from the team. “Even after we clinched the match [early on in the evening] the kids still fought for their matches,” said Weber. “It was a complete team effort.”
Although four of the six singles matches started down a set, the support of the team helped them come back and fight for the win. According to freshman Fiona Cerf, who played #1 singles and #1 doubles on Friday, winning all nine matches can be attributed to several components.
“Our mental and physical stamina really helped us come back and win a lot of our matches. I also think that we play for each other, even in singles, and that in itself gives us that extra push we need to win close matches,” said Cerf. “Each member of both the guys and the girl team were out there on the court supporting every point of the last match.”
The team’s next match is against Portland State next Saturday, and according to Weber, the team has a lot to work on before they compete again.
“[We need to focus] primarily on singles getting out to quicker starts,” said Weber. “We dropped the first set in four of those matches and I don’t think we should have necessarily.”
Consistency is another important component to winning matches. Weber often tells his players that they will win the majority of their points on opponents’ errors rather than their own winners, which is why it is crucial to get the ball back just one more time than their opponent.
Another thing the team needs to work on, according to Weber, is finalizing doubles teams so that they get used to playing with each other.
The doubles teams need to focus on their net play and ability to quickly finish points.
“The teams that take over the net typically win the points and this year that’s where we are going to be a lot stronger,” said Weber. “We have girls that are very aggressive and don’t mind being on the net, putting away overheads, and putting away volleys.”
Weber believes that if doubles play aggressively, it will make the team more successful in the long run and make their long-term goal of receiving a top 20 ranking in the region more possible.
“The girls team is very young this year but probably the most talented team we’ve had in 20-25 years. So there are high hopes and we’re pushing for a second place finish in conference,” said Weber. In the past, Trinity has been the top dog in the conference, and Weber is hoping to challenge them a little this year.
With the team getting into better shape and working on their technique and strategy every day, they are quickly become closer as a group. Sophomore co-captain Maddie Cahill, who played #5 singles and #2 doubles last week, claims that her goals for the season include being a tight-knit team, getting into the SCAC finals, and having fun.
“The best part about being on the tennis team is the team itself,” said Cahill. “Growing up, tennis was very individualized, but having a team of talented and motivated girls makes all of the hard work worth it.”
Cerf echoes these feelings. “The best part about being on this team is the community and the incredible amount of support we give each other on and off the court.”
The women’s tennis season is looking more promising this year than it has in the past 20 years, and that’s very exciting for Coach Weber and his players. Next Saturday, you can expect aggressive net play from the doubles and immediate intensity from the singles to continue the team’s winning streak.