BELCHERTOWN — The South Hadley girls tennis team remained undefeated Monday afternoon, beating Valley Wheel rival Belchertown, 5-0.
Although the Tigers (6-0, 4-0 league) won both matches 5-0 to complete the sweep, the Orioles (5-5, 2-3) have been South Hadley’s biggest challenge top to bottom in the lineup this season.
“(Belchertown) prepared themselves much better for this match,” South Hadley coach Eric Cestero. “Of course, anybody is out to get anybody in tennis when it comes to a rivalry between schools. (Teams) are always gunning for teams that have not lost any matches.”
In the teams’ first meeting on April 3, the Orioles solidified themselves as the only team this season to take the Tigers’ second and third singles to a third set. Despite not winning a match in either meeting, the Orioles won nearly twice as many games as any of the Tigers’ other opponents this season. On Monday the Orioles pushed the first doubles match to a third set tiebreaker.
“They were all so close, so the end result really means nothing because they put their hearts and souls out there and played so well this time,” Belchertown coach Jackie Kowal said. “First doubles, I have to give them a gold star because I think they lost in straight sets last time and to come back and have a tiebreaker was wonderful.”
Belchertown’s first doubles team of Olivia Vogel and Nicole Oberg bounced back from their 6-4, 6-2 season-opening loss by stealing the first set on Monday. Aislinn Ford and Bella Earle eventually won the match for South Hadley, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7.
The match was the biggest challenge for the Tigers’ duo so far this season and ended up being an opportunity to test their mental toughness. Down 3-2 in the first set, Ford and Earle consulted with their coach that they weren’t feeling well and were looking for advice.
“The only thing I could do was give them encouragement that they have two options,” Cestero said. “Keep playing or withdraw. Which one do you want? By telling them to elevate themselves and reaching that point where they wanted to continue and have that desire, I think right there was an example of how they prepared themselves for the match.”
The mental challenges of a tough match will hopefully prepare both teams as they enter tough stretch runs of their schedules.
“We’re coming up to some strong teams,” Cestero said. “Sometimes when coaches tell a team ‘this team is 6-0 or 7-0’ they elevate themselves and that day and they get better. Certainly, these Belchertown first doubles girls demonstrated that, they elevated themselves, they wanted to get better.”
Added Kowal, “We’re digging in through the season now and they really thought they could do better against this team, and they did. That to me is the milestone that we hit.”
Although both teams are in different positions, they both still share the goal of making the postseason. For the Orioles, who sit right at the .500 threshold, it will be about converting on the close finishes that they have set up for themselves.
“We’ve lost a lot 3-2, but every match out there was stellar today,” Kowal said. “So, we’re moving in the direction where maybe we can turn some of those. I can say we can do it, but they’ll have to do it.”
South Hadley is coming off consecutive seasons where its run as the top seed ended at the hands of Lee in the Western Massachusetts Division 3 semifinal and final, respectively. While the Tigers certainly have plans to maintain their undefeated record this season, there are other goals that take precedent for the benefit of the team in the postseason and the future.
“What I’m looking for now as one milestone is to prepare the other girls, the ones that are playing bench, and start putting them in that court,” Cestero said. “I want to give them a chance because they’re going to be here next year with me. The second thing is of course to reach the playoffs, and this year I told them we want to get over the hump and beat (Lee) and get to the semifinals for states. I think that’s going to be a glorious contribution to them as they go to college.”
Madden Lacoste defeated Emily Slater 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, while Kaylin Cousineau beat Madison Slater 6-4, 6-3 at second singles. Hailey Werenski held off Natalie Nowakowski, 6-2, 6-2 at third singles.
At second doubles, Alison Descheneaux and Julia Pratt swept Kayla Chaisson and Casey Gormley 6-0, 6-0.
Girls tennis
Minnechaug 3, Amherst 2
at Amherst Middle School
First singles: Ani Diefenderfer (M) def. Lilli Conrad, 6-1, 6-2; Second singles: Ali Boudreau (M) def. Rebekah Hong, 6-3, 6-1; Third singles: Sofia Sotarello (A) def. Amy Footit, 6-4, 6-1; First doubles: Savannah Doughty & Lily Mulcahy (M) def. Liza Pobezinskaya & Christiana Lee, 6-1, 6-0; Second doubles: Anastasiya Kaltashova & Mara Waskiewicz (A) def. Katie Duncan & Kate Salerno, 6-3, 7-5
Records: Amherst (1-4, 1-3 Valley) Minnechaug (7-1, 3-1)
South Hadley 5, Belchertown 0
at Belchertown
First singles: Madden Lacoste (SH) def. Emily Slater, 6-2, 6-0; Second singles: Kaylin Cousineau (SH) def. Madison Slater, 6-4, 6-3; Third singles: Hailey Werenski (SH) def. Natalie Nowakowski, 6-2, 6-2; First doubles: Aislinn Ford & Bella Earle (SH) def. Olivia Vogel & Nicole Oberg, 5-7, 6-3, 10-7; Second doubles: Alison Descheneaux & Julia Pratt (SH) def. Kayla Chaisson & Casey Gormley, 6-0, 6-0;
Records: South Hadley (6-0, 4-0 Valley Wheel) Belchertown (5-5, 2-3)
Pope Francis 4,
Frontier Regional 1
at Springfield
First singles: Elizabeth Goncalves (P) def. Tori Speth 6-2, 5-7, 10-3; Second singles: Elita Vale (P) def. Mary Laurens 6-0, 6-1; Third singles: Daniela Martinez-Dran (P) def. Kayleigh Aucorn 6-0, 6-0; First doubles: Madeline Ferreira & Mikala Messier (P) def. Cassidy Bardwell & Coleman Hartner 7-5, 6-4; Second doubles: Sophia Patten & Erin Senn (F) def. Madelyn Letendre & Gabrielle Letendre, 2-6, 6-3, 10-4
Records: Pope Francis (2-3) Frontier (5-1)