Aug 30, 2016

Southwest Cowgirl Tennis hosts the Southeast Lady Falcons

I am often wondered at the butterfly effect…that the flap of a single stroke of a butterfly could cause hurricane like forces thousands of miles away.  Cleary not directly, but the synergistic effect of the one eventually causing the other.  Or to think of it another way, a Rube Goldberg machine, but over a complete season – that each part, each movement of the individual will fall into place and cause something extraordinary by the end.  This is how I view my tennis team.  Each player I put into the rotation to play offers something a little bit different and each time they play, they better themselves and the team that, over a season and high school career, they can perform beautifully at the appointed time.  I think this is the hardest part about coaching. 

Unfortunately tonight didn’t go as planned, nearly, but falling short in the end.  But even in defeat, there are pieces to place back on the table to reconnect into a masterpiece…at a later date.

Mai Vo performed wonderfully at #1 for the Cowgirls - easily handling her counterpart in a swift 10-3 victory.  Kristen Taylor and Gretchen Cross followed suit and completed their play 10-5, 10-6 respectively.  Johaina Apolinario and new to the top six Alethea Yu both battled hard but were unable to convert their exquisite play into a wins.  This is where the story diverts.  It will be said that these two players played some of the best tennis they have played yet.  Their shots were deep and their lobs falling just inside the lines out of reach of their opponents.  Not quite blessed with the tallest of all statures, the two of them ran their legs off returning certain winners to extend out the points, drawing each game close to the deuce mark and only losing serve twice.  Katelyn Leinbach’s match was probably the best of the night – well tied with the efforts on court #2 dubs, but we will get to that shortly.

Katelyn’s first time at #2 boded very well for both opportunity and progress checks on her game from summer play.  Though falling 2-7 in the opening games, she finally grabbed a foothold and began the climb.  Katelyn lowered her shots, hit her corners, broke her opponents serve 3 times to bring it a 6-7 score. 

6-8

7-8

7-9

8-9

And off an incredible shot from her opponent that barely caught the line, Katelyn, exhausted, fell 8-10.

No, she didn’t win, but the confidence that this match gifted to her – her shots – her stamina – her strengths on the court – she simply couldn’t have earned that experience by a 10-0 win. 

Kyra Akande and Mai Vo teamed up to put a hurt’n on SE’s #1 dubs team.  8-1.  No worries and quick!

Dubs Court #3 came off next – Linsie Ravel and Abby Lowe – trying to get top six experience but falling just short in their very solid play against a set of opponents who, by all measures, looked like a different team from the first time we did battle.  Lobs were solid, net play too, but their opponents liked to hit it deep and at the feet of the Cowgirls and we just couldn’t lift the shots up enough to ensure victory. 

Tied 4-4 in match play

The second great match of the night was dubs Court #2 – Sam Hamrick and Meghan Whalen.  Hamrick returning to Court #2 Dubs after a close 8-9 tiebreaker loss to SE last time, I placed her with one of the freshmen ladies – Meghan Whalen- in hopes of reversing the outcome from last time and to clinch the win for the match.

1-0

A good start off a strong service game from Sam

1-1

Ok

1-2

What?

1-3

Dude!*

1-4

A chat.

1-5

1-6

2-6

3-6

4-6

5-6

5-7

6-7

7-7

8-7

8-8

Tiebreaker

Again

1-0

1-2

1-3

2-3

2-4

2-5

2-6

3-6
3-7

And SW narrowly loses in a match that had as many ups and downs as Fury 325 at Carowinds.

But what did we learn?

• The toss is an integral part of the serve and subsequent play.
• The net seems easy, but let’s not rush it!
• If the player is good at the net, let’s not hit it to her
• That our lobs are pretty good
• When we focused well and didn’t overplay, we rocked! – coming back from a 5 game deficit
• That we only really learn our game when we are challenged in our game  - there we find truth about ourselves and play

*“Dude!” is a substituted word.  Let’s be honest, this was not what I was thinking at this point in the match.

No, it didn’t go as planned, but in every loss the ladies either played outside of themselves (crazy consistent/superb shot selection) or revealed another facet about their play from which to learn.

The butterfly effect still lingers on my mind.  If by this loss we become better than we could ever think in future play because of the lessons learned tonight….

Cowgirls drop to 4-4 on the season and welcome the Lady Warriors from Wheatmore on Thursday where they will try to avenge their narrow loss from last week.   

Mai Vo (SW) over Erica Lane (SE) 10-3

Sara Griffin (SE) over Katelyn Leinbach (SW) 8-10

Kristen Taylor (SW) over Stella Arnesan (SE) 10-5

Gretchen cross (SW) over Calli Medlin (SE) 10-6

Lauren Skerlak (SE) over Johaina Apolinario (SW) 10-6

Rebecca Oster (SE) over Alethea Yu (SW) 10-6

3-3

Dubs

Vo/Kyra Akande (SW) over Lane/Kirsten Brown (SE) 8-1

Griffin/Arnesan (SE) over Sam Hamrick/Meghan Whalen (SW) 9-8 (7-3)

Medlin/Skerlak (SW) over Linsie Ravel/Abby Lowe (SW) 8-3

1-2

SE over SW 5-4