Jocie Stone and Courtney Lopp, the No. 1 doubles team, on their way to victory.
Rye High Girls’ Tennis
Garnets Defeat Bronxville Broncos to Improve Record
By Mitch Silver
A year ago, Coach Tony Campbell’s Garnet racqueteers ran the table, winning 11 regular season tennis matches without dropping any before taking both the League and Sectional team titles. They edged a previously undefeated Byram Hills in the Sectional semis, and then swept all four doubles matches on their way to a 5-2 victory over Mamaroneck for the crown.
This fall, with senior co-captains Nikki Francis and Steffi Rodilosso serving and volleying in college, Rye is finding the going just a little tougher. Playing two sophomores and a junior at singles, they entered Monday’s match against visiting Bronxville with three wins and a couple of narrow losses to Byram Hills and Harrison, both in tiebreakers.
As the sun set Monday on a Rye team that dropped only a single matchup against the Broncos, Coach Campbell said, “It was a solid, much needed win. We had dominant doubles performances up and down the line. Junior Catharina Ausfahl played an excellent match at number two singles against a very good opponent, Eva Dani. Her 6-3, 6-1 win makes her 5-1 on the season.”
Juliette Stone took care of business at first singles against Rory Christian, 6-2, 6-2. Catharina’s younger sister Charlotte dropped her singles match by a score of 4 and 2.
Senior co-captain Jocie Stone teamed with Courtney Lopp at No. 1 doubles for a near-bagel (0 and 1). The three other teams Campbell sent out on the courts — Liz Peron and Lexi Francis at No. 2, senior co-captain Claire Cassidy and Morgan Delizia at No. 3, and Olivia Ham and Bridget Kelleher at No. 4 — swept their sets while dropping only 12 games combined.
The schedule this week is a brutal one, with four matches on four consecutive days. Campbell’s group hosts last year’s Sectional finalist Mamaroneck Tuesday at Rye Rec and then Chappaqua powerhouse Horace Greeley Wednesday, post-press time. Finally, they hit the road Thursday to take on Pelham, a team they defeated by 7-0 earlier this month.
