By Melanie Cane
After losing their first four matches, traffic and rain conspired to prevent Holy Child’s tennis team from getting their first win of the season. The opposing team, Greens Farms Academy, arrived 45 minutes late at SUNY Purchase on April 26 due to traffic on I-95. The drizzle began roughly 45 minutes into the matches, which were stopped when the courts became too slick.
The Gryphons were winning all but one of their matches when the match was called. Senior co-captain Isabelle Robinson lost her first set, but all of the other players were ahead. Caroline Pace, also a senior co-captain, was ahead 4-1 at second singles. Third singles player Isabella Morello was on serve 3-2. The first doubles team of Jax Pace and Alana Walsh was up 4-1, as was the second doubles team of Christina Rocco and Caroline Bryceland. The two teams will finish the match at a still to be determined date.
Rain has been the scourge of the season for the team. Coach Maureen Fearon says it is difficult to get any momentum because so many of their matches and practices have been rained out. “Each practice after each tough match was canceled, so it was hard to work on making improvements.”
Despite this, the girls are getting better and closer with each match. Some of the players are overcoming injuries and some of the older girls are playing on the team for the first time. Bryceland, a senior, played softball for three years before switching to tennis this season. She and her partner, Rocco, have never played together before, but they improve daily. Walsh has not played in two years due to knee surgery.
Regardless of the weather and the ups and downs in their matches, the Gryphons are enjoying themselves and looking forward to blue skies and their first win.
Isabelle Robinson high-fiving the team before her match.
Senior co-captain Caroline Pace
