May 8, 2008
Lady Cards win battle of tennis unbeatens
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The days and hours leading up to a girls tennis match between the Greenwich Cardinals and New Canaan Rams are filled with anticipation and perhaps a little nervousness for the players. The teams have clearly established themselves as the class of the FCIAC and so the clash of the titans is one which is circled on the calendars from day one of the preseason.
Greenwich High School Head Coach Betsy Underhill summed up the feeling of the rivalry in one word.
“Excitement,” Underhill said. “We knew it was going to be a great competitive match. We need more of these. I wish we could play them almost every week because it fires everybody up and it makes you a better player. Unfortunately with our league, the depth isn’t there, but both these teams have the depth. We were really looking forward to this match and it didn’t disappoint.”
That much is certain.
Each team was missing one of its top stars — New Canaan’s No. 1 singles player Tina Tehrani is out with an ankle injury and Greenwich’s No. 1 doubles player Luisa Errichetti is out with an eye infection — but the Rams and Cards still managed to deliver another classic.
When Greenwich’s No. 3 doubles team of Leah Tagliarino and Sophie Vos wrapped up their match against New Canaan’s Kimmie Glerum and Jen Popper with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win, the Cards had put the wraps on another win over their rivals, this time by the score of 4-3.
The loss was the first of the season for New Canaan (10-1), while Greenwich (13-0) stayed perfect. But beyond the records was the fact that these matches stand on their own as championship showdowns.
“It’s very special for us because New Canaan is our biggest rival,” Greenwich’s No. 1 singles player Marie Watanabe said. “We were all really excited about this game and we all prepared well. We were both undefeated, so some of us were nervous, but personally I enjoy playing this New Canaan team because they’re so good.”
“Greenwich is always our toughest match and we know that they come to play,” New Canaan’s Kasey Newton said. “It always comes down to the last match — whoever is left on the court is going to decide it.
Watanabe and Tehrani had three epic battles last season with Watanabe winning the first match and Tehrani taking the next two, including a three-set win at the FCIAC championship, which was eventually taken by Greenwich, 5-2.
With Tehrani sidelined, Watanabe rolled to a quick 6-0, 6-0 victory against Lauren Ambler.
Watanabe said she was looking forward to facing off with Tehrani in the postseason.
“I wanted to play her if it was possible because it’s always fun to play a player who is as good as Tina,” Watanabe said.
The Cardinals were strong in the singles matches, taking three of the four spots. In addition to Watanabe’s win, Greenwich took points at No. 3, as Meghan Hayden defeated Caitlin Gallagher 6-2, 6-4, and at No. 4, as Kelsey Shea defeated Katie DeWaele 6-3, 6-3.
New Canaan got its one singles point at No. 2, with Katie Mannelly battling past Jessica Ertel 7-5, 6-1.
The No. 1 doubles match had the same feel as No. 1 singles. Errichetti and Beth O’Brien are the defending State Open doubles champs and haven’t lost since 2006.
But with Errichetti out, New Canaan’s Sara Willett and Alyssa Baker won in straight sets, beating O’Brien and Andrea Carlsson 6-2, 6-0.
No. 2 doubles went to three sets with the Rams’ Newton and Mer Barcia overcoming some early struggles to win 6-4, 7-5, against Emily Niehaus and Annie Rosencranz.
That left No. 3 doubles and the three-set spotlight victory in front of teammates and fans of both teams for Tagliarino and Vos.
“All the players were there and it was just so much fun to cheer with the team. It’s a really good bonding time for us,” Watanabe said.
“They did not know it was the deciding match, which I’m very happy about,” Underhill said. “I think that would have been almost too much pressure for them. But I’m so proud of a new team coming up from JVs to have that kind of composure with this many people. It was pretty special.”
The teams won’t have much longer to wait until their next match-up, as the FCIAC tournament begins next Thursday with the finals slated for Wednesday, May 21 in Wilton.
Underhill has no doubt who she’ll see opposite the Cardinals.
“There’s nobody else in the league that can fill that spot,” she said, “so we will be facing them again in the finals, for sure.”
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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