Despite the gray skies and heavy wind that swept over the Tamaques Park courts, the Blue Devils came out to play against Oak Knoll, not just to support their seniors on Senior Day but also to win their last match of the year. Last time these two teams faced each other, Westfield sweeped Oak Knoll 5-0. In yesterday’s matchup, the Blue Devils kept up this dominance, beating Oak Knoll 4-1.
Going into the match, coach Samantha Nichols said, “it was really important for me to get all the seniors and alternates into the match today because I feel like they’ve worked so hard.”
Senior captain Emily Shabinaw took control in the first singles match, scoring 6-0 in both of her sets. Since she played her opponent earlier in the season, Shabinaw knew what to expect and how to play to win. “I was slow at the start, but then I picked it up, and I was playing well,” she said. Though she had some points earned against her, Shabinaw was able to come back in each game and win. Shabinaw confidently conquered her opponent, ending her match in less than an hour.
For second singles, junior Bianca Vesuna played, crushing her match, too. Winning all of her games, Vesuna defeated her opponent with ease, winning 6-0 in both sets. Her quick serves and agile footwork gave her the upper hand against her opponent and helped her execute the win. Looking back on her season as a whole, she says, “[I] really showed growth and development over the season. Some of these matches have been very difficult and being able to end the season on a high note was very important for me.”
Playing her first match of the season at third singles, freshman Emma Legaspi stepped up and dominated her opponent. She started the first set down, 1-0. In a quick turnaround, the score was soon 6-2. After learning her opponent’s strategy, Legaspi had an outstanding second set where she dominated, winning 6-0.
The only loss the team saw was in the second doubles with senior Adrian Fleming and sophomore Abby Pisarra. Although the girls lost both sets 6-0, they remained mentally strong throughout the match. Fleming said, “This was my first year ever playing tennis for the high school. I used to just hit around with my parents and go to a few clinics. For my debut match, it was important for me to just have fun and enjoy Senior Day. Me and my partner, Abby, have been playing together in practice all season, and it was just really fun to have this last match with her as my partner.”
Westfield without a doubt had a successful season this year. During the Union County Tournament, the Blue Devils took 3rd place overall. Freshman Lauren Roszak placed 1st in 3rd singles, Vesuna placed 2nd in 2nd singles, Shabinaw placed 3rd in 1st singles and juniors Alexa Bloch and Anna Luchsinger placed 3rd in 2nd doubles. Notably, the girls performed well in the North 2, Group 4 Sectional Tournament, making it all the way to the championship for the third year in a row. As the girls end with a record of 9-6, they hope to achieve even more success next season. Although the team will lose three valuable seniors going into next year, the team will remain strong under junior leaders like Vesuna who plan to keep a good reputation around Westfield girls tennis.
