Printer Friendly Version - Warriors’ Girls’ Tennis Grew Through Adversity in States Berth

Senior co-captain Olivia Baldwin earned the Warrior Award for the Valley Regional girls’ tennis team this spring, as the Warriors went 11-3 and qualified for the Class M State Tournament in 2023. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Fallyn Belisle served as a senior doubles player for the Warriors’ girls’ tennis squad this spring and earned herself a 10-2 mark in competition. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

The Valley Regional girls’ tennis team not only asserted itself as a standard bearer for success in the Shoreline Conference this spring, but the young women additionally bolstered their character by slicing through setbacks that emerged.

Head Coach Sally Riggio and the Warriors came into the season with 17 total players when the dust settled on the year–a dozen of them being returning varsity players in addition to a half dozen freshmen at the onset of the spring. Valley then cruised to an

11-3 regular-season record with all 10 girls in the starting lineup between singles and doubles earning eligibility to compete in the Shoreline Conference Tournament. Valley then fell as the No. 8 seed in the first round of the Class M State Tournament to 9th-seeded and eventual-champion Hand by a 6-1 final at home on May 26.

Riggio remarked that no matter the hurdles or seemingly insurmountable circumstances that arose throughout the spring, the girls that stayed committed to the club met the challenges head-on with great heart.

“All of the girls displayed exceptional determination, skill, and sportsmanship as they competed at the highest level in our league,” said Riggio. “This year, our team had several injuries that affected team members from playing, some players returned to play while others did not unfortunately. In our state competition, we moved up to Class M. Our adventure ended with our loss to Daniel Hand for the second year in a row. Valley demonstrated heart and grit representing our team and school graciously making Hand earn its win to move on. [Sophomores] Regan Grow and Alessia Pisanzio pulled off an impressive and decisive win over their No. 2 doubles team. I gleam with Warrior pride when I reflect on our season from start to finish!”

At Shorelines, all of the Warriors’ doubles’ teams won their opening round bouts and two of them reached the quarterfinals. Grow and Pisanzio additionally reached the semifinal round. Junior Natalie Novak, junior Clara Shea, senior Samara Shankar, Grow, and Pisanzio were selected for Second Team All-Shoreline. Junior Joanna Petrone received Honorable Mention recognition for the league for the second year in a row.

Within the freshman class, Hannah Smith notched a perfect 10-0 record, while Ella Smith was also undefeated at 8-0. Alana Martinez finished 6-1, Caitlin Brady was 4-1, and Abi Alexander competed in three matches between singles and doubles competition.

For sophomores, Grow and Pisanzio went 12-2 as a dynamic duo. Elsewhere, Sophia Bonanno finished an even 4-4 in two solo matches and six doubles duels, and then Hannah Faucher won her lone doubles appearance and went 2-2 in four matches on her own.

Shea highlighted the junior class with an 11-3 mark. Next, No. 2 singles player Novak and No. 1 solo artist Petrone each procured a 4-0 record, plus Hannah Schwartzmann finished 3-1 while playing at No. 4 singles and then went 4-6 at the third slot.

For final-year players in the senior slate, co-captain Shankar went 11-3, and then Ashley Cap was 12-2. Cap’s main partner Fallyn Belisle finished 10-2 for her efforts in 2023, and co-captain Olivia Baldwin went 2-2 as she also served as team announcer for matches.

For team awards, Smith was named Most Improved Player, Cap garnered the Sportsmanship Award, Petrone came away with the MVP honor, and the Warrior Award went to Baldwin.

“Captains Olivia Baldwin and Samara Shankar offered new teammates a warm, welcome, and positive attitude and encouragement,” said Riggio. “All of the singles players in Joanna, Natalie Novak, Hannah Schwartzman, and Sophia Bonanno participated with equal intensity and effort. I would like to thank Sophia and Hannah for keeping the team updated with excellent team communication.”

Looking ahead to 2024, Valley has already appointed its captains in Novak and Petrone. Yet in her final thoughts and reflections on this campaign, Riggio seemingly gives a resounding vote of confidence that the girls can harness how they handled the ebbs and flows of this season as a stepping stone to even greater heights a year from now.

“It was a year with multiple season-changing injuries which necessitated a change in our lineup. Next year, our team looks forward to accomplishing goals both individually and as a team,” said Riggio. “We will focus on our resilience and resolve to compete at the highest level possible. We will continue to develop our strategies and nurture mental focus, stamina, and athletic endurance. The girls have been so inspiring on and off the court this year with the challenges that we have endured. We are Warriors and will be back next year, better than ever!”

Riggio was assisted this spring by Callie Riggio, Sally’s daughter, who is also the head coach of the Warriors’ boys’ tennis squad. Sally Riggio, who is also the assistant coach of the boys’ team, has been the girls’ squad’s head coach for six years.