This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/08/2023 11:12 AMThe Old Saybrook girls’ tennis team has had an up and down season so far. Currently sitting at a record of 5-7, the Rams sport a mix of veterans and newbies to the sport as they hope to find themselves on the trail that leads to late-season success.
Head Coach Erin Reid is currently in her fifth season with the Rams and has seen the growth of many of the returning athletes. Two of those players who have grown throughout their tennis tenures are the two senior captains this spring in Claire Boucher (No. 2 singles) and Abigail Clifford (No. 2 doubles), both of whom have used their willingness to continue to improve and constantly seeking advice from their coaches to serve as strong role models for their teammates.
“They are both really nice girls, and they are both really coachable. By being coachable, they lead by example because they want to do the right thing all the time,” said Reid. “They expect that from the rest of the team as well.”
Due to early season struggles and not having all the girls present at the beginning, Old Saybrook lost its first four matches, an obstacle they have very much been able to overcome since. On April 3, the Rams hosted Cromwell and took a 3-4 loss before hosting Old Lyme on April 6 and falling 0-7.
During the week of April 10, Old Saybrook played two matches, one against the Coginchaug Blue Devils in which they fell 3-4, and the other versus the Westbrook Knights, taking a 0-7 loss.
“In the beginning of the season, it comes right before April vacation and that was three matches,” said Reid. “We did not have a lot of our kids, so that record is a little inaccurate, however it is what it is because they were not here.”
Old Saybrook was quickly able to bounce back from the early-season deficits, winning its next two matches (a 6-1 victory over Portland on April 18 and a 5-2 win over Haddam-Killingworth on April 19) behind the backs of several returning players.
There are 18 girls total on the tennis roster this season, with nine of them who have come back from last year for varsity. Besides Boucher and Clifford, the other returning athletes include Yeshi Tsering (junior, No. 3 doubles), Gabriella Zawadski (junior, No. 1 doubles), Caroline Ancona (sophomore, team manager, No. 3 doubles), Morgan Bubello (sophomore, No. 1 doubles), Tenzin Choedhar (sophomore, No. 3 doubles), Kyela McGuire (sophomore), and Elizabeth Pamment (sophomore, No. 4 singles).
Not only have the veterans been able to step up and help Old Saybrook win some matches this season, but there have also been a few first-year players who have jumped right into the fold and provided value on the court, including freshman Michele Spozhnikov, the No. 1 singles player.
“Our number one player is a freshman; she is very good. She plays for a club outside of Old Saybrook,” said Reid. “Ashleigh Palmer, also a freshman, plays No. 2 doubles. Lily Dower (freshman) also plays varsity.”
Beyond the overall team accolades, singles and doubles matchups within a tennis match are what fuel the team’s victories. The Rams’ No. 2 doubles player Alex Hirst (freshman) and Clifford are 5-0. Spozhnikov is 6-0, and Boucher and Palmer are 5-3.
On April 24, the Rams were able to show their true capability when they defeated East Hampton at home by a shutout score of 7-0 before winning their next match on the road (a 6-1 victory at North Branford on April 26). This past week, Old Saybrook fell to Cromwell on the road (3-4 on May 1) and Westbrook at home (0-7 on May 3). They also had a highly anticipated matchup with Morgan, a match that Reid was very eager for.
“We play Morgan twice, and we have not played them yet. I am interested to see how we hold up against Morgan,” said Reid. “We also play Westbrook and Old Lyme, they tend to be very good. I am not sure how the remainder of the season is going to go.”
Old Saybrook lived up to the anticipation and excitement of the Morgan match, defeating the Huskies by a score of 4-3 at home on May 5. Winners from the match included Spozhnikov, Voucher, Pamment, and Hirst and Clifford. The match was also Senior Night, honoring the two senior captains, Boucher and Clifford.
The Rams full roster includes Boucher, Clifford, Acona, Emily Myslinski (junior), Tsering, Zawadaski, Acona, Bubello, Hannah DePuma (sophomore), McGuire, Emma Courtright (freshman), Dower, Oliver (Emilia) Hatchel (freshman), Hirst, Fiona Lawson (freshman), Darilynn Lopez-Cazali (freshman), Palmer, and Spozhnikov.