Depth proves pivotal in Lancers' title defense |
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The second doubles team of Melanie Feen and Anne Hayes and the first singles player Yolanda Green, right, accept Longmeadow's Western Massachusetts team championship trophy at Western New England University.
Reminder Publications photo by Chris Maza
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June 11, 2012
By Chris Maza
chrism@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — A familiar situation led to familiar results and another Western Massachusetts title for the Longmeadow High School girls' tennis team.
Despite losing in the first and second singles matches, Longmeadow captured a 3-2 victory over Amherst for the third time this season to remain perfect against teams in Western Massachusetts on the season.
Longmeadow's only loss of the year came against Glastonbury, Conn.
"We've played [Amherst] twice this season, both times with the same results they win the two singles, we win the two doubles and I've got this freshman, Alexis [Bowen] who won us third singles," Longmeadow Head Coach Dave Daniels said.
Bowen defeated Maddy Ouellette at third singles 6-1, 6-0 and the Lancers' top doubles team of Hannah McFarlin Epstein and Ashley Toebes topped Samantha Doctor and Sarah Krasnik 6-1,6-0 as Longmeadow took a 2-0 lead.
But Lisa Calcasola fell to Western Massachusetts individual champion Nicole McMann at second single 6-2, 6-3 and Maya Hart, the individual runner up, defeated Yolanda Green 6-2, 6-2 to tie the match at 2-2, leaving it all up to the senior duo of Melanie Feen and Anne Hayes.
"They're very tough players," Daniels said of McMann and Hart. "My girls [Calcasola and Green] can run through everyone else, but it just shows the high level of tennis that Amherst can play."
Feen and Hayes proved up for the challenge, defeating Hannah Lang and Amutha Muthukumar 6-3, 6-2.
"They did a phenomenal job," Daniels said. "They're both very smart. They're both AP students and so when things get tough, when the stroke's not quite there, they play smart."
Daniels said the win was a great reflection of the depth of the Longmeadow tennis program.
"I ran a two-team system all season," he said. "I have 21 girls and I play seven on one team and seven on another. I never play straight up, except for now. For example, Yolanda is first singles on one team and Lisa is number one on the other team."
Longmeadow, which has dominated the Western Massachusetts girls tennis scene, will look to make it to the state championship match for the first time since 2010 when they lost to Westford 4-1. Last season, the Lancers fell in the semi-finals to St. John's 5-0.
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