By Mia Gallagher · Sports Editor
The Grove City College women’s tennis team secured their fourth-straight victory last Saturday, Sept. 20 with a rousing 7-0 sweep of the Thiel Tomcats.
This win – coming at the halfway point in their conference schedule – brings the Wolverines to 4-0 in PAC play. With key matches against Allegheny and Franciscan on the horizon, the team will need to lean on its young talent and seasoned veterans to find continued success.
“I think the team would agree that the match on Saturday certainly gave us confidence, knowing that we are capable of dominating on the court. We are a deep team, and the scores going from first singles to third doubles show that,” freshman Grace Stitt said.
“This victory was a great demonstration of how hard the team has worked during practice this season. During practices I noticed that every one of the 16 players wants to be there and puts in their full effort every day. No one complains and everyone encourages each other to do their best and put in a 100% effort,” freshman Grace Yurko added.
Leading the way from her first singles position was Stitt, who only dropped one set in her win over her Thiel counterpart. Yurko and junior Peyton Joines both made quick work of their Tomcat opponents as well, sweeping the second and third singles points, respectively.
Rounding out the singles lineup were junior Jacqueline Marriott and freshman Jenna Marriott, who also secured sweeps in their fifth and sixth singles matches.
Moving into doubles action, freshman Blaire Beatty and sophomore Iris Kiehl swiftly swept their Thiel counterparts to tilt the race towards the competition’s doubles point in Grove City’s favor. Kiehl also secured the team’s final individual match point with her fourth singles victory.
Senior Julia Ehrenberger and junior Cana Severson notched the team’s doubles point with a sweep from their second doubles matchup, while the pair of senior Courtney DeCarlo and freshman Kyla Moore added an insurance win from their third doubles position.
“Our team never goes into a match thinking that it’ll be easy, but rather we go into every match with full effort. Throughout the entirety of the season so far, the team has shown just how dedicated we are to giving it out all during practices,” Stitt said.
“I think both our confidence and humility allow us to come out on top. Like I said earlier, we never expect to win, but we always work to win. We go into every match, expecting to give it everything we got, and allow God to do the rest,” she said.
After hosting Franciscan on Wednesday, Sept. 24, the Wolverines will take a short break from PAC play to face Mount Aloysius at home for the team’s senior day celebration tomorrow, Sept. 27. Action is set to begin at 12 p.m. at the Walters-Zbell Tennis Courts.
“Whether or not we win PAC or individual matches, success of an athlete may not come from titles won necessarily but goals accomplished, and passion and competition brought to the sport,” Beatty said.
