August 25, 2016

Southwest Cowgirls traveling to Trinity and the Lady Bulldogs

And it was a hot one.  If the reader remembers, this is the team where two of our own Cowgirls had to retire from their respective matches due to heat.  But we persevered!

Due to the Bulldogs excellent play last time we met, I called up Ellen Druebbisch to lead the charge while offering the rest of the Cowgirls a different look across the board in their opponent’s play.

Ellen Druebbisch Court 1

Sam Hamrick Court 2

Meghan Whalen Court 3

Katelyn Leinbach Court 4

Kristen Taylor Court 5

Gretchen Cross Court 6

What the reader needs to know about tennis is the seedings/courts are never equal rungs of a ladder.  Some teams have great top end, but little bottom….drops off too fast – think Goldilocks but with tennis ability…not porridge….that’s just weird.  Some teams do not have a defines #1 player, rather all of their girls play fairly consistent and do not drop of hardly any towards Court 6.  Most teams are a unique balance of the two. 

Trinity has two #1’s and four #3’s.  This is the trick to matching player’s abilities when trying to give play time to the ladies further down the ladder.  So let’s see what the Cowgirls did tonight!

Katelyn Leinbach was the first off the court.  Having not played last meeting with the Bulldogs, Katelyn returned to the line-up to do battle at #4.  She had little problem with this pairing.  Her well placed shots and burgeoning ability to run the court quickly dismantled her opponent putting the Cowgirls up 1-0 in match play.

Sam Hamrick was the next to come off, but unfortunately with the opposite result.  Sam played hard throughout her match, but the firecracker on the other side of the net…remember the two number 1’s…ran down everything Sam threw at her.  Poised and complementary on her opponents play, Court 2 left the courts.

Kristen Taylor paused but briefly in her take down of their #5.  Playing right into her opponent’s hands, Kristen realized her play and adjusted it quickly tying it up 3-3 and not looking back as she negated her opponent’s strengths and finished out the match.

Ellen Druebbisch walked off about the same time having tried something new in the opening games and only trading serves back and forth.  Putting the new shot aside for now, Ellen began to crank out superior lobs, deep corners, and superb play in taking out their court #1.

The Most delightful matches of the night were played by Gretchen Cross and Meghan Whalen.  Both freshman came to the Cowgirl tennis program as if a great gift at Christmas….without the bows.  We rarely wear bows…that’s another sport here at SW.  Both these ladies have growing skill in baseline play and both can hit topspin (This is a good thing), but each has difficulties playing someone who doesn’t hit with pace and don’t get me started on shorter shots! But tennis is a development game of which they both had a wonderful opponent to hit against who shared exactly what they are working on.

Both matches began very slow.  Neither court breaking each other’s serves.  At the changeover at 4-3 on serve, I spoke wisdom into their play, telling each of them that they had to play their game, their spin, their placement and not simply push it back to their opponent.  Many of the teacher readers will be amazed, but students can listen, they began to play their game.  Yes, I only spoke a few words of encouragement, but Meghan and Gretchen respectively found it in their toolkit the ability to play beyond their opponents’ shots, gaining confidence with each successful shot they hit and ultimately winning, both with the same score.  This type of play thrills my heart!

5-1

Whalen/Cross Court 1 dubs

Alethea Yu/Ainsley Hampton Court 2 dubs

Maria Tawhid/Holly Galvan Court 3 dubs

Having come the farthest in their play, I placed Whalen and Cross at #1 dubs.  Let’s just say the magic was spent on the singles courts.  They did play well, but the veteran opponents had a more extensive toolkit from which to draw and though the Cowgirls played hard with excellent net and baseline rallying, eventually succumbed to a solid dubs team from Trinity.

Yu/Hampton, first time playing in the top 6, fought hard in their efforts.  Without a doubt, the most complete play both have put forth their first season on the team.  With growing confidence at the net and good returns of service, they managed to pick up several games in the playing, but against another veteran team, they were pushed beyond their playing ability but did go down fighting all of the way.

The surprise of the evening was first timer Holly Galvan and 2^nd timer Maria Tawhid pairing up for #3 dubs.  The readers should remember Maria gained her first Varsity victory last night v SE, so striking while it was hot, I thought to pair her with one of our new players to see what could unfold.  It felt long…in every point played.  But the laughter and confidence that grew so well in the Cowgirls during their battle with the Lady Bulldogs was incalculable.  Errors smoothed over, play became crisper, instead of three shots per point, it extended to 4, 5 and averaged closer to 6 shots.  Though not great in dubs play, it did show a growing maturity in shot selection and consistency.  Down 4-5 and still on serve, I couldn’t do anymore than simply to look on and share this journey with them.

5-5 – hold

6-5 – break (we broke them)

6-6 – break  (not the good type)

7-6 – (another good break)

8-6

In its own right, a nail bitter. 

1-2 out of dubs

6-3 final

Cowgirls go up 4-3 in pre-season play.

Looking ahead, The Cowgirls host HPCA for the conclusion of our rain delayed Aug 18^th match on Friday beginning at 4pm.

Ellen Druebbisch (SW) over Maddie Sykes (T) 8-2

Izzy Martinez (T) over Sam Hamrick (SW) 8-1

Meghan Whalen (SW) over Devin Welch (T) 8-5

Katelyn Leinbach (SW) over Mackenzie Pierce (T) 8-1

Kristen Taylor (SW) over Priscilla McCosky (T) 8-3

Gretchen Cross (SW) over Mayra Santos (T) 8-5

Sykes/Pierce (T) over Whalen/Cross (SW) 8-3

Anna Kate Patterson /Stephanie Vail (T) over Alethea Yu/Ainsley Hampton (SW) 8-3

Maria Tawhid/Holly Galvan (SW) over Nathalie Breese/Lauren Elam (T) 8-6