Cowgirls fought well but came up short against a very tough NW Lady Viking team – W Tennis Conference Play

Random Tennis Rules all players should know:

               1/ If your service toss is in error…the server must either let the ball fall to the ground or catch it with a hand before re-tossing.  No one should catch the ball with the racquet on an ill-fated toss.  This is considered striking the ball and as such, a serve.

               2/ Electronics are nice, but playing with phone, smart watch, electronic device during or between points is a no-no. 

               3/  A ball must bounce before a player can touch it.  This is especially true on serve.  For example: A serve is served.  The ball doesn’t go in the box, rather, in dubs, the non-receiver stops the trajectory of the ball before it bounces.  Server gains the point.  Yes, even if an “out” was called prior to stopping the ball.  Calling a ball “out”, though acceptable before the ball lands, doesn’t excuse any action towards the ball until it lands out itself. 

               4/  According to USTA’s Code 5, players make a call on their own sides.  Though the opponent may be dubious about the call made, calls are the responsibility of the player on the side where the ball fell.  Should the player wish to call a coach, they can, the call stands (unless reversed by the player who made the call) regardless.  The Coach can be requested to come out to the call as an impartial judge of calls made from that point on…again, the last call will stand. 

The Lady Vikings were better on 6 courts than the Cowgirls were tonight.  Having already beaten Grimsley 5-4 and the Cowgirls getting beaten in turn by Grimsley 4-5, Coach, in sizing up the Vikings for tonight’s play, saw the path to victory but a narrow opening amongst the thorns nestled in the dark, foreboding forest. 

Audrey was a shining example of everything Coach had not taught her.  Physically hitting against a player who could generate their own pace was a huge part of Audrey’s final score.  Hitting no mare than 5 shots a point, and often less, Audrey managed to control the game from the outset, pushing the Viking to and fro and as the Viking made her mistakes, Audrey was quick to capitalize on them.  Audrey blitzes the Viking 0 and 0.  Though her opponent played well, the talent disparity was too great.

Changing the line-up with #’s 2 and 3 allowed Anna to gain the higher seed beginning this week.  The reason was two-fold.  Anna is the heir apparent to Audrey’s role as top enforcer for the tennis Cowgirls next year…so best we begin honing her skills a bit more toward the heavier hitting opponents ahead of her previously held #3 spot. 

WARNING:  The first set was not pretty.  The learning curve of anything worthwhile is never easy.  Tennis is not the exception.  Anna took her bruises from the first and was able to better understand her opponent’s hitting tendencies.  In the second set, Anna was able to hold serve twice and even break her opponent once.  No, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide and win the match, but tonight was about exposing Anna to a different game.  A faster, more consistent, and less humored by mistakes than her previous role at 3.  Though losing tonight’s match, as I will say about ALL of the matches that did not fall our way, the Cowgirls played their games admirably.  They moved well, backing up when needed for the bigger shots (and there were many shots that were bigger than our shots tonight), attempted lobs when prudent, and in general, played some of the better tennis of the season. 

Unfortunately the truism remains….great play doesn’t necessitate winning, especially in the face of better play.  Anna tried everything and more that she had.  Coach and Anna simply need to add more into her toolbox.  Anna falls 0 and 3 tonight.

Lauren, in swapping with Anna, was hoping to find more fertile ground to hit her groundstrokes and a better pace of play in which to run and flourish.  Tonight wasn’t bad.  Finding an opponent who hit similar to her and allowed the ball to fall right in line with Lauren’s preferred hitting stroke range, opened the court wide to strong top spin laden rallies as well as epic over hitting from both sides.  Close from the get go, the Lady Viking had Lauren edged with a most consistent stroke.  Speed and spin were nearly equal.  So too were serves.  Just consistency.  Kudos to Lauren for running down everything she could and staying focused on the game and set she was in tonight.  3 and 2 loss.

Rachael and Betsy found themselves in their respective singles games a bit overmatched.  Though holding tight to the points in most games, collectively they were only able to push that wall to one game between them.  There is no shame in this, simply, the Lady Vikings offered a beautiful look at a game our mid seeded Cowgirls did not possess.  A bit faster, better angles, most consistent higher paced shots was enough to push the Cowgirls to a defensive position…one they couldn’t ply their wares on their opponents’ weaknesses.  They both hit out through the ball allowing for longer shots to keep the Viking at bay through the points, running was evident in every point they played, and their serves were enough to hold their opponents back….though playing very well, they both fell short of winning tonight.  Still, overall, some of the best hitting they had offered to their opponents so far this season.  Well played ladies.  Coach is content with your hitting and play tonight.

Jada.  Jada must have thought she was on Center Court…during prime time…..with the over under of time for the match length pegged at 2 hours.  If so, she earned her glory tonight!

Jada began a bit down to the Lady Viking.  The Viking came out swinging….big.  Taking Jada back initially, Jada was quick to respond and began playing smarter tennis.  Now up a break in the first, she kept the ball in play….finding fewer opportunities to press her advantage than usual (NW was quite deep this year…again) Jada fought to keep the ball in play.  But it worked.  The points were longer, and did Coach describe the weather? No?  OK, Coach will put it in easy terms to understand….”it was hot on the courts.”  Though only warm to the observers, the temp and humidity did little to imbue the players with a cool feeling of fall weather yet to come.  Jada, to little fanfare, have gone up against a bigger hitting foe…..but then NW’s coach chatted with her player. 

Coach will not drop the link in for “The Climb” because it isn’t one of his favorite songs.  Respect to the artist, but he cannot have the melody playing in his head all night until he goes to sleep. 

The Climb, unfortunately, wasn’t benefitting Jada…only her opponent.  A NW service hold…multiple mistakes on the part of the Cowgirl, a broken serve or two and at over an hour in the match, Jada was facing a 5-6 deficit.  Newer to tennis, the Viking had thought she had won at 6-5 before being corrected by her coach in that she would need to win by two games…not just one game.  Jada serving for survival in the set…5 short points later, Court 6 is going into a tiebreaker.  Viking served first.

From Jada’s perspective

                              1-0

                              2-0

                              2-1

                              The Viking looked like she was a flower wilting in the heat

                              3-1

                              3-2

                              3-3 – swap sides

                              4-3

                              5-3

                              5-4

                              6-4

                              7-4 the win...FOR THE FIRST SET AT 1HR AND THIRTY MINS.  Yes Reader, 1 hr, 30 mins for the first set.

Coach was pleased.  Having seen many examples of what was displayed, if Jada could keep her energy up and the ball in play, she should cruise through the second set.

Up 1-0

2-0

3-0 – Looking good!

Another chat from her coach….Coach thinks the NW coach has magical words

3-1

4-1

4-2

5-2

5-3 – NW Hold

5-4 – NW Break

Come on Jada!

And in another 5 point game, 15-love, 30 -love, 30-15, 40-15, the Viking finally netted the ball handing the win to Jada.

Total match time tonight for singles was 2 hrs, 16 mins.  A great battle.  A great win for the Cowgirls and a personal best play for Jada.

Jada’s match went on so long, Audrey and Anna, having finished their match, sat for a spell, began and finished playing their NW Dubs #1 counterparts, taking them apart for an 8-2 victory, and then came to visit Jada on Court 6 to finish watching her marathon match.  Though not the longest on record a scant 4 hours and 15 mins behind the longest two set match ever, Jada’s match easily set the bar for the longest match resulting in a victory for the Cowgirls this season.  Way to go Jada!

OK, down 4-3 after singles and #1 doubles, Jada, after a short rest, took the court with partner Caroline Church – court 3.  Rachael and Betsy took to court #2. 

Play on both courts was inspired.  Rachael and Betsy, once more, hit the best they have hit during the season thus far.  Owning the sideline action, the Vikings had to play for cross court domination and net play.  Holding fast at 2-3 was all the Cowgirls could do though.  The Vikings began to outpace the usurpers.  Grabbing a last game on serve decisively as the score clicked on a 7-2, now 7-3, the Cowgirls continued to battle strongly.  Simply outpaced in ball speed and length of shots, Cowboys #2 fall 3-8 to a tough Viking team.

Jada and Caroline both played well too.  Again, holding fast at 2-3 and on serve like their dubs court #2 sisters, the Vikings also began to distance their play from the Cowgirls.  Pushing harder and into the corners, fatigue became an issue with serves and play from Jada.  The pace of shot also caused great trouble for both as they tried to maintain their defensives on the baseline but were forced further back.  Continuing to advance, the Cowgirls tried to lob over the Vikings.  Though working, this only extended the points by a few more exchanges as the Vikings turned up the heat of both pace and shots. 

Coach fears this was his fault though.  He apologized to the two Cowgirls afterward.  If the reader remembers the opening of this write up, Coach gave four rules ALL tennis players should know.  It just so happens three of them occurred to the same person…each called out by Coach.  Though one fell on the shoulders of a Cowgirl, to get called down three times by a Coach/teacher/Principal…well, it is not an enviable position.  Players tempers can flair.  Aggressive tones can be taken, and stances can be made as shots are unleashed.  It just so happens that this talented Viking connected with more than a few of these last shots causing the speed of play, ball, and shot distance to extend beyond the scope of the Cowgirls. 

Don’t worry dear reader….no Cowgirl was harmed in the playing of tonight’s matches.  The efforts by the Viking didn’t make contact with either of the Court 3 Cowgirls.  In fact, these two were able to claw back one more game to their favor before the Vikings nailed the lid shut.  Like court #2, these two Cowgirls fought hard but came up short 3-8 in the end.

Coach has no regrets….no, not even for calling out the Viking three times for three different rules violations.  Remember, he calls rule violations on his own team…as he did tonight for one of the infractions.  Coach thought he was being quite courteous…but everything looks differently when on the court in the heat of play.  It is a simple game of tennis, right? 

Thank you for reading tonight. 

Coach and the Cowgirls will be back in action tomorrow evening against Bishop McGuiness with play beginning at 5pm.

Singles

Audrey Serb(SW) over Ella Gentel (NW) 6-0, 6-0

Hanna Gentel (NW) over Anna McGinnis (SW) 6-0, 6-3

Lori Brown (NW) over Lauren Harris (SW) 6-3, 6-2

Olivia Gleeson (NW) over Rachael Dee (SW) 6-0, 6-1

Hannah Byron (NW) over Betsy Chen (SW) 6-0, 6-0

Jada Speight (SW) over Cameron McCollum (NW) 7-6(7-4), 6-4

Doubles

Serb/McGinnis (SW) over E.Gentel/Gleason (NW) 8-2

H.Gentel/McCollum (NW) over Dee/Chen (SW) 8-3

Brown/Gina Byon (NW) over Speight/Caroline Church(SW) 8-3

Lady Vikings over the Cowgirls 6-3

Vikings rise to 6-1 both in conf play and overall

Cowgirls fall to 4-3 in conf and 7-4 overall

Cowgirls host Bishop McGuiness Tues at home with play beginning @ 5pm.