Windham girls’ tennis falls in season opener

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity girls’ tennis played their season opener against Scarborough at Windham on Thursday, April 16 and the Eagles showed the Red Storm they could compete and played a very strong match, but narrowly fell with a 3-2 loss to Scarborough.

Windham senior Jasmine Lucas returns a serve during the 
varsity girls' tennis season opener against Scarborough
at Windham High School on Thursday, April 16.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“My goal was for our girls to give Scarborough a competitive match and that’s exactly what they did,” said Windham varsity girls’ tennis coach Katy Dresnok. “It sets the stage for the season, and it looks like we’re going to have a strong season. My singles players are strong and consistent players. My one doubles have a very strong net game and my two doubles are rising. Their consistency of moving the ball around (went well), they can work on their serves a little bit more and make them a little stronger. Their sportsmanship and their attitude (also went well) whether they win or lose, they’re happy with their performance and that’s all I really care about.”

In the singles matches, Windham senior Jasmine Lucas lost 7-5 and 6-2, junior Denali Momot defeated Scarborough 6-2, 6-4.

After a tough-fought battle that was pushed into split sets, where each team has won one set, Windham senior Ellise Gallop lost 6-4, 4-6 and 6-2.

“The first set, I think we were just getting comfortable and it was going slow and she won,” said Gallop. “But then my team started coming over, my coach came over and I was like ‘alright I got to win this one,’ and I did. The thing with Scarborough though is they tend to come back strong that first set. I was getting in the mindset of it’s not over, I can win. And then it was just the last one to survive, basically. My goal was to get a point, because this was my first time playing singles. I was really nervous and I just wanted to give them a good game and that’s exactly what I did.”

Gallop’s match lasted roughly two and a half hours. Dresnok said that’s a lot of tennis, and a lot of concentration for Gallop’s first varsity singles match. Play like this sets the stage for a strong season.

“I moved her around really well, which helped get her tired when that was the aspect of the game,” said Gallop. “I was good with my placements and knew when to go easy and when to go hard. Endurance and recovery (need work). She got me with those really good shots where I was nowhere near them. If I can work on getting back to the center, maybe I have a shot at getting those really good returns.”

During the doubles matches, Windham seniors Sydney Harmon and Grace Hansen won their games 6-3, 7-6 and (7-4).

In the second doubles match, Windham sophomore Mollie Malone and senior Anna Lane played together for their first time as a pair in their first varsity games ever. They left it all on the court, but lost 6-7, (7-3) and 6-2.

“We had personal and team goals of not double faulting, communication and being more aggressive, which I think we did accomplish,” said Lane.

Lane said she thinks her serves are getting stronger; that was something she was working on improving. She said she thought their workup at net needs work.

“For the very beginning, first match ever, we did pretty good,” said Malone. “I think my returns are getting better, that was one of my goals going into this match. I could work on being more aggressive.” <