FAIRFIELD — In many ways, it was nice to get back outside.
For the Centerville Redettes, they were able to continue to build momentum and learning experiences for the rest of the season. For Fairfield Maharishi, they knocked off some rust that may have formed after a week away from competition winning 9-0 at the Punj Tennis Center in the first outdoor meet for the team this season.
“We’ve had three of our top six girls that missed some time because they were involved in the state science fair last week,” said Maharishi head coach Lawerence Eyre. “The practice time that they got going into this match was less than we would have liked. So I was kind of crossing my fingers and hoping that a lot of their skills would come back as they got back into the rhythm of the game.”
The rhythm of the flow of being back in competition seemed to return quickly for the Maharishi girls. Although they were able to sweep the matches, that doesn’t mean that it was easy for the Pioneers to get the win.
Especially at the No. 2 doubles spot, which provided one of the best matches of the entire meet.
There Ria Altynska-Ross and Aparajita Kaira from Maharishi took on the Centerville doubles team of Verinoca Hayes and Ava Allen.
What unfolded was a battle that seemed to never want to stop. Altynska and Kaira won the first game, but Hayes and Allen answered right back with a win in the second game.
That’s how the entire match would be. Altynska-Ross and Kaira would go on a roll, win a game. Then the serve shifted and Hayes and Allen were able to answer right back.
“That was a seesaw battle that was great for both teams, especially this early in the season,” Eyre said about the No. 2 doubles battle. “Both teams had great leads and both teams were in a great battle. They challenged each other.It wasn’t just ground strokes either, we saw rapid-fire volleys as well. All four girls answered everything that was thrown at them very well.”
The two teams didn’t just win when they had the serves. Altynska-Ross and Kaira were the first ones to take a win when they didn’t have a serve. Their two-game lead advantage didn’t last long though as Hayes and Allen were able to win three games in a row to force another tie.
The seesaw swung rapidly from side to side, seemingly on every return and ball that was sent over the net.
Both teams had to rely on their teammate to make the proper read. They switched sides when they needed to and kept fairly long rallies going between the sides.
Although it was early in the season this battle certainly seemed like it belonged towards the middle of May as all four of the players were taking and returning great shots.
“Both teams showed great ability to recover from both missed shots, and good shots that they won,” Eyre said. “It was just a tremendous doubles match.”
After the 11th game when Maharishi’s pair took the lead it seemed like the end was near for the match. Centerville’s team answered back and extended the 8-game pro set by winning the next two games.
It was a battle that just never seemed like it was going to end.
“I’m really a big believer of the team having a positive attitude no matter what,” said Mallory Denny, the head coach for Centerville’s girls team. “So it was great to see the girls stay positive, especially in a match that was as close as that one.”
Centerville tied the match at five games won each,but the duet of Altynska-Ross and Kaira were able to win the final two games to take a narrow 8-6 victory.
Although they didn’t win a match on Monday, the experience they get from playing Maharishi will provide a young Centerville team with lessons they can use for the rest of the season.
“We see Maharishi kind of like a role model when we play them,” Denny said. “They have great competition, great facilities, great coaching and just provide great matches. It is a great example of what tennis matches should look like.”
For both teams just getting to play outside on a night when the weather was sunny, the winds mild and plenty of competition will only help all members as the season moves forward.
“I have a young team, so it was great to see that they never gave up and continued to give their best point after point,” Denny said.
GIRLS TENNIS
Fairfield Maharishi 9, Centerville 0
Singles results:
No. 1 Ishita Mukadam (MAH) def. Olexa Williams (CENT) 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 Poojita Mukadam (MAH) def. Veronica Hayes (CENT) 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 Ria Altynska-Ross (MAH) def. Kiera Klum (CENT) 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 Daira Valls Blazquez (MAH) def. Ava Allen (CENT) 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 Aparajita Kalra (MAH) def. Sophie Henderson (CENT) 6-2, 6-0
No. 6 Joyce (Jiusi) Wang (MAH) def. Payden Hoffman (CENT) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles results:
No. 1 Ishita Mukadam/Poojita Mukadam (MAH) def. Olexa Williams/Kiera Klum (CENT) 8-0
No. 2 Ria Altynska-Ross/Aparajita Kalra (MAH) def. Veronica Hayes/Ava Allen (CENT) 8-6
No. 3 Daira Valls Blazquez/Joyce (Jiusi) Wang (MAH) def. Sophie Henderson/Payden Hoffman (CENT) 8-4
