BEACON FALLS — Any time a team is trying to pick up the pieces after losing just about its entire lineup and introducing a new head coach, there comes a time when adversity will test their mettle.
The Woodland girls tennis team found themselves in that position coming into this week.
The defending NVL champion Hawks began the season with only a few retuning players and got off to a blazing 6-0 start. Then adversity stepped in the way, and the Hawks stumbled in their first loss of the season to St. Paul, 6-1, last Friday. Woodland had already defeated the Falcons quite thoroughly, 5-2, earlier in the season.
The doubles team of Angelina Padilla and Alyssa Varesio earned the only win against St. Paul with an 8-2 victory. The doubles team of Carly Erickson and Jen DiZazzo put up a battle but fell short by an 8-6 margin. Daphne Cianciolo at the No. 2 singles spot put it all out there, but fell by a slim 8-6 margin.
That was all Woodland could do against a team they handled quite easily in the first go-around.
“We were down two of our starters and the whole lineup had to shift up,” Woodland head coach Kate Gavigan said. “St. Paul also had two other starters who didn’t play in the first match, so it was a different outcome. A little bit of humble pie once in a while is good for you.”
Gavigan said the loss isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“I think it will serve as a good thing really as it takes the pressure off the team trying to keep an undefeated streak going,” she said. “Now they can get back and just focus on tennis. How we respond to the first loss will be crucial and hopefully we can get back on track and not let this linger.”
The Hawks didn’t have to wait long for redemption.
Woodland shutout Ansonia on Tuesday to earn a 7-0 victory. Allison Mayne was back at her No. 1 spot and picked up an 8-0 win over Violet Konopka. In the second singles match Katie Rioux had an easy time in an 8-0 victory over Johneil Clarke.
Cianciolo and Amanda Doughney earned 8-1 decisions to give the Hawks (8-1) a sweep of the singles portion to secure the victory.
In the No. 1 doubles Erica Boccuzzi and Paige Gainey took an 8-1 decision from Jessica Vives and Carolina Espinosa. The second doubles tandem of Padilla and Varesio earned an 8-2 victory, and the third doubles team of Alexandra Pettas and DiZazzo closed out the sweep with an 8-0 win.
Woodland made it back-to-back wins with a 5-2 victory over Holy cross on Wednesday. Mayne and Rioux picked up singles wins. The tandems of Buccuzzi and Gainey, Padilla and Vareiso, and Pettas and Carly Erickson swept the doubles matches.
The Hawks have their hands full as the schedule gets tougher. They are scheduled to visit Sacred Heart on Thursday. On Monday, it will be an NVL showdown as Woodland will host Wolcott for the top spot in the league.
“Next week is going to be a huge test for us going up against Wolcott. … The schedule is going to really pick up the pace from here on in. We need to stay focused and come ready to play, Gavigan said.
Gavigan said teams are gunning for the defending champs, but her girls are ready for the challenge.
“Teams are going to be coming at us but these girls are psyched,” she said. “It’s the greatest challenge you will ever love. It’s exciting coming to the court everyday and these girls are keeping me young.”
