Hawks getting swagger back

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Woodland’s Paige Gainey returns a shot during a doubles match with her partner Katie Rioux versus Seymour’s Emily Curina and Madison Baur Monday in Beacon Falls. Woodland won the match, 4-3. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI
Woodland’s Paige Gainey returns a shot during a doubles match with her partner Katie Rioux versus Seymour’s Emily Curina and Madison Baur Monday in Beacon Falls. Woodland won the match, 4-3. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

BEACON FALLS — After dropping three of four matches by slim 4-3 decisions, the Woodland girls tennis team began to get its swagger back last Thursday with a shutout win over Ansonia.

On Monday, the Hawks kept the momentum going entering the final week of the regular season with a 4-3 victory of their own over Seymour.

“We are climbing back up the mountain,” Woodland head coach Kate Gavigan said. “It was a tough stretch but I think a little adversity will help us to become a stronger team as we head into the league tournament.”

Ali Mayne made quick work of Seymour’s Isabela Bellaro in an 8-0 win in the No. 1 singles match. No. 2 Amanda Doughney earned an 8-1 victory over Allison Kogut to give the Hawks the early lead.

Seymour fought back with No. 3 Emily Thomas getting past Ali Pettas, 8-4, and No. 4 Claudia Iacomacci barley getting by Elif Abedin in a 9-7 shootout.

“Seymour is a force to be reckoned with,” Gavigan said Monday. “It’s a big test for us to see how far we have comeback after going through that tough stretch. But we came out here pumped up and excited feeling very confident that we could compete. The wheels may have come off the bus a little bit but I think we are back on the right track heading into the final week of the regular season.”

Woodland came back strong in the doubles portion of the match, an area the Hawks have been building on throughout the season. Katie Rioux and Paige Gainey were upended, 8-5, in the No. 1 doubles match as Seymour’s Emily Curina and Madison Baur pulled out the win.

The Hawks’ final two doubles teams finished strong to pull out the victory. The duo of Alyssa Varesio and Angelina Padilla have been almost automatic for the Hawks this season and showed that by tying the match with an 8-5 win over Rachel Korponay and Sarah Possenti.

With the match on the line and the pressure of having lost the last three matches by 4-3 margins, the No. 3 doubles tandem of Morgan Stockheimer and Rayhan Luzeri pulled out an 8-1 win over Janet Collins and Jess Chambal to give Woodland the victory.

Woodland’s Elif Abedin lines up a shot versus Seymour’s Claudia Iacomacci Monday in Beacon Falls. Woodland won the match, 4-3. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI
Woodland’s Elif Abedin lines up a shot versus Seymour’s Claudia Iacomacci Monday in Beacon Falls. Woodland won the match, 4-3. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

“You learn a lot with each season,” Gavigan said. “I think we are a tougher team than when we started the season. We needed to be tested and I feel we passed that test and are looking to finish the season strong.”

Woodland kept things going with a 5-2 win over Crosby on Tuesday. Mayne and Doughney picked up wins in singles action and the Hawks swept the doubles matches to earn the victory.

The Hawks faced off against NVL defending champion Watertown on Wednesday and fell, 4-3.

All of Woodland’s (10-4) losses this year have come by 4-3 margins.

Doughney picked up a singles win versus the Indians. The teams of Varesio and Padrilla, and Luzeri and Stockheimer earned doubles wins.

Woodland will finish up the regular season at home on Friday versus Torrington.

The NVL team tennis tournament starts next Monday and Tuesday with quarterfinal action. The top eight teams make the tourney.