RHS Tennis
Different Players, Same Results

Many of the faces were new at the girls’ tennis home opener September 18, but the Garnets (1-1) certainly did not play like a team forced to replace six players from last year. Rye easily dispatched Pelham 6-1, sweeping the doubles competition and winning four of six matches in straight sets.
Senior captain Julia Fiala set the tone as Rye’s No. 1 singles player, opting to attack with finesse at the net in her 6-1, 6-2 victory. Molly Jordan was also triumphant in singles play. The freshman quickly topped Chistina Clemente 6-3, 6-1 in the third singles match. Freshman Olivia Singer, the Garnets’ No. 2 singles player, lost 6-2, 6-2 to Kara Hennessey. She played hard however, and her calm and gracious demeanor never wavered.
In doubles play, Rye’s No. 1 team of Jessica Jahnke and Clair Pfister defeated Maddy Stein and Caitlin Curry 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. Devin Weil and Mona Nakamura bested Maggie Rooney and Gabriele Neuhaus in second doubles, 6-1, 6-4. The sophomore twin tandem of Amanda and Catie McLaughlin cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 third doubles win against Claire Stapleton and Tiffany Coccozza. Maura Zipf and Kristie Virtue rounded out the team victory with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win against Shaun Levine and Mia Diedt.
To head coach Cari Caulway and her team’s credit, all of the doubles teams – two of whom were newly paired – looked as though they had been playing together for quite some time. Replacing the four seniors who graduated in June and two more veterans who moved out of the district, Caulway will depend heavily on freshmen this season.
The Garnets’ next match is at home October 6 against Blind Brook.
–      Melanie Cane