Game, set, match: Girls tennis secures first round playoff victory
Riley Florindo returns a shot as she and doubles partner Lan Tran secure a victory for the Vikings. Photos by Bobby Grady
Julianna Frye eyes down a shot.
Lan Tran whacks a serve back over the net.
Julianna Statkus hits a few warm-up shots.
Neveah Smith follows through.
Evelyn Francis and her opponent warm-up before their match.
Riley Florindo returns a shot as she and doubles partner Lan Tran secure a victory for the Vikings. Photos by Bobby Grady
Julianna Frye eyes down a shot.
Lan Tran whacks a serve back over the net.
Julianna Statkus hits a few warm-up shots.
Neveah Smith follows through.
Evelyn Francis and her opponent warm-up before their match.
The Wareham High School girls tennis team served Groton-Dunstable Regional High School a loss in the first round of the division three playoffs.
The match was held Wednesday, May 28 at the high school and the Vikings took down their opponent by a score of 4 to 1 and advance another round into the playoffs.
Head Coach Geoff Swett said the win was not unexpected but he was anticipating a tighter competition considering the Vikings were ranked just one seed higher than Groton-Dunstable.
“All in all it was a very good win because I think we’re actually a little better than our record,” Swett said. “Anytime you get a playoff win you’re happy.”
Beating expectations has been the theme of the season according to Swett. He said the 18 person roster consists of 12 eighth and ninth graders and the team lost four of their seven starters from last year.
“I think the season was a great surprise,” he said. “I didn’t expect to make the playoffs and I didn’t expect to win a round.”
Swett applauded Evelyn Francis for shattering expectations as she transitioned from a solid doubles player to the team’s top singles player for the season.
“The doubles points are quicker because the net person can intercept balls and you have to be very consistent,” he said. “To go from doubles to first singles playing the other team’s best player is really tough.”
Second singles player Nevaeh Smith sealed the victory for the Vikings when she defeated her opponent in straight sets and said she felt a mix of nerves and excitement coming into the match.
“I didn’t practice yesterday so I was really nervous but next match, we got that,” Smith said.
Smith added that getting playoff experience now bodes well for the future of Wareham tennis considering how young the team is.
“We’re going to continue to do good because we’re really young and everyone has their own difficulties they can work,” she said. “Everyone’s doing really well and I’m proud of them.”
The Vikings travel to Dover Friday, May 30 to face-off against number one ranked Dover-Sherborn High School.
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