Amidst early season turmoil, Pats get season underway

Posted 9/18/14

When the girls’ high school tennis season started in the first week of September, Pilgrim didn’t send a team to the courts.

It took a full week for the Pats to get their ducks in a row, …

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Amidst early season turmoil, Pats get season underway

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When the girls’ high school tennis season started in the first week of September, Pilgrim didn’t send a team to the courts.

It took a full week for the Pats to get their ducks in a row, thanks to an unexpected coaching change and low numbers. But the Pats are on the court these days, with a coach and a full team, which is an accomplishment given the way things looked not all that long ago.

Shon Campbell takes over the program for Chad Tvenstrup, who had to resign just before the season started. Campbell, who used to coach the Pats up until last year when he resigned due to other obligations, saw that the program was in danger and stepped up to the plate for another turn at the helm.

“I wanted to make sure there was a team for the school,” Campbell said.

But just having a coach was only the first step, as the program needed players. When Campbell was awarded the job, just two girls were out for the team.

He set off a recruiting effort inside the school that moved quickly, and within a week the team had double-digit players, including nine freshmen.

There isn’t a lot of tennis experience, but there is plenty of room to grow.

“It was more of a challenge to form the team because it was so last minute,” Campbell said. “To get the girls to learn the rules and be motivated to play, it’s really coming together now.”

The matches that Pilgrim missed are being made up during the season, and the team has actually played five matches up to this point. It is 0-5 in Division III-Central A, and it lost all five matches by a 7-0 score.

Right now, however, wins and losses aren’t much of a measure. Until two weeks ago, most of the team had never even picked up a tennis racket.

“You can see the steps from our first match to where they had zero points,” Campbell said. “Now they’re achieving some things. We’ve had a tiebreak. I know it doesn’t seem too extreme, but we’re improving.”

There is some experience, as well. Returning to play No. 1 singles is senior Drisanna Watson, who played doubles and No. 4 singles last season.

In the No. 2 spot is returning sophomore Kayla Noorby, a doubles player last season.

After that, it’s all new. Junior Abbey Small, a transfer student, is playing No. 3, with freshman Zoe Vigeant at No. 4

The first doubles team is made up of freshmen Brigh Finnegan and Vanessa Escamilla. At No. 2 doubles, freshmen Kyla Stenmark and Leandra Silva are playing, with freshmen Rhiannon Myers and Natalie Griffith at No. 3. The fourth team has freshmen Makailia Delaroca and Alia Mirabile, with fellow freshmen Allison Naylor and Brooke Pariseau also in the mix.

“It’s a great challenge,” Campbell said. “The girls are young but they’re eager to learn.”

Campebell is confident that eventually, a win here or there will happen, as his new-look group starts to get its feet underneath itself.

The Pats are at 1-5 Central today at 3:45 p.m., and host winless Hope Tuesday at 4 p.m. Warwick Vets is also winless, and the Pats will take on the ’Canes a little later in the season.

“They’re improving every day,” Campbell said. “They listen. They’re very receptive. It’s going well. They have a smile on their faces in the matches. Hopefully we make some strides and improve and we’ll build for next year.”

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