The Randolph Varsity Girls Tennis team had a busy week to start the season. Enjoying an early-season record of 4-0, the players seemed confident about the matches to come.
So far, the girls have dominated all four of their matches, winning 4-1 against Mt. Olive on Tuesday Sept. 3; 5-0 against Morris Knolls on Wednesday, Sept. 4; 3-2 against Morris Hills on Thursday, Sept. 5; and 5-0 against Pope John on Friday Sept. 6.
“We felt really good about opening the season with a win,” said Head Coach Daniel DiNozzi. “This makes it feel like the season is headed in the right direction.”
This was a big week for the first doubles team, seniors Ava Olsen and Lucy Girardi, who were on a 4-0 winning streak at press time.
“We understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Olsen said. “Also, we know how to calm each other down when the match gets stressful.” Olsen and Girardi have found a strategy that works for them, and it shows in their matches. Doubles partners for three years, Olsen and Girardi said they’ve experimented with new strategies each season, and it seems they’ve hit on one that works for them.
The second doubles players, seniors Amy Myerson and Riyana Chaudhary, also enjoyed an impressive run, winning all four of their matches this week.
“I want the team to go into every match believing that we can win, as long as we play our best,” senior captain Noelle Thompson said. Throughout the winning week, she used her captaincy to recharge the team, change the mindset and encourage the players.
With mostly seniors on the team, there was still room for strong underclassman such as Ava Pinho to shine. With three match wins this week in first singles, she has become a key player for this team. Alongside Pinho in stats was junior Sophie Visser in the third singles slot with three match wins.
Thompson said she is leading the team this year by creating “an environment where everyone feels welcome and accepted. We support each other regardless of how the match ended.” Not only a team leader, Thompson was also a key player this past week, winning three matches in second singles.
“The team chemistry is pretty strong this year,” DiNozzi said. “We have six returning varsity players from last year, so they have experience playing together.”
The Rams face Morristown next, today, Sept. 10, at 4:00 p.m.
