In the first of three matches this week, the Poly Girls’ Varsity played Pingry on their home courts at Drew University in New Jersey. Without two of the top seven players in the lineup (due to injury and sickness), the remaining varsity players (and Lily Rosenblum from JV!) had to step up their game against the deep Pingry squad.
The Pingry players came out strong in the bottom of the lineup, using their powerful serves to put pressure on the Blue Devils in the beginning of each rally. Captain, Nicole Colandrea made the most noticeable adjustment to the powerful serve by staying on her toes and moving forward to volley, which created new opportunities for her in the last game, which she narrowly lost 8-11. Sophomore and number one, Grace Bell continued the momentum from her impressive win against Saint Ann’s number one, Emily Sherwood, and played some of her best squash to beat a strong Diana Masch, currently ranked 38 nationally in the under 17 division. Bell started aggressive and used her impressive length and precise drops to put Masch under pressure. Bell continued this strategy in the second, but the momentum shifted in the third game when Masch adjusted her length and pace to take the game. In the fourth, Bell came focused and regained her length and effectively moved Masch around the court, which created openings for her impressive drops in the front left. The match proved to be another great win for Bell at the number one position. The Varsity hopes to bounce back after tonight’s tough loss in their match against Hackley on Wednesday (at home) and Riverdale on Friday (away), in the two remaining two matches of 2012.
Final Result: Poly 1, Pingry 6
- Grace Bell (PP) beat Diana Masch (P) 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8
- Lizzy Lasusa (PP) lost to Lindsay Stanley (P) 1-11, 1-11, 1-11
- Charlotte Bowditch (PP) lost to Allie Ruggiero (P) 7-11, 1-11, 5-11
- Kim Burke (PP) lost to Stephanie Clark (P) 7-11, 0-11, 1-11
- Olivia Doran (PP) lost to Liz Herman (P) 6-11, 0-11, 5-11
- Nicole Colandrea (PP) lost to Haley Park (P) 2-11, 0-11, 8-11
- Lily Rosenblum (PP) lost to Stephanie Wilf (P) 4-11, 2-11, 5-11
