Episcopal Academy girls’ tennis squad earns Inter-Ac title

Newtown Square >> Episcopal Academy girls tennis coach Whitaker Powell knows each season can be special in its own way. This year was no different, as the Churchwomen captured the Inter-Ac title.
Powell got a quick glance of just how special this season was going to be at the first Inter-Ac match when his team traveled to Baldwin for a key league match-up that would definitely carry title implications.
With his No. 3 doubles team of senior Natalie Johnston and Junior Madison Hanssens firmly in control of what would be an eventual 6-0, 6-0 win to clinch the match against Baldwin on September 9, Powell looked over and saw the rest of his team sitting together supporting the remaining players on the court in what would eventually be a 5-2 win.
With that image planted in his mind, he knew something special was on the horizon. The only question remaining – how special?
“The term special for the season really comes from the group of girls,” said Powell. “They definitely had talent, but talent only gets them so far. This particular group had never won anything so I was impressed with how hard they worked to improve each and every day. Obviously starting off with Baldwin was a tremendous test due to their talent and coaching but once we overcame that hurdle, we moved on to the next challenge. As I told them after that match, it only means something if we win the next one. That was the mantra of the team … next point, next game, next set, next match.”
With each season being different in terms of players and playing position, the constants of tennis being an individual sport with a team concept on the high school level along with a team-first culture remain the same.
“Every tennis team I have been a part of at Episcopal has always been a close group,” said senior co-captain Cara Harty, who plays No. 1 doubles with junior Eliza Aldridge. “I’ve had great captains to learn from, who would always make everyone feel included no matter what grade you are in. Caroline and I have tried to incorporate some team activities, like team dinners, to create a bond off the court. Our group naturally gets along very well so our efforts have been to help facilitate and improve that bond.”
Following their win over Baldwin, the Churchwomen knew it was only the first step towards an Inter-Ac title.
With the mindset of taking one match at a time and seeing different players step up each match and make key contributions, the Churchwomen would earn hard fought victories throughout the season that culminated against Germantown Academy with a 4-3 win to clinch the outright Inter-Ac crown.
“Winning the Inter-Ac was a huge accomplishment for our team,” said senior co-captain Caroline Burt, who plays No. 2 doubles with junior Georgie Crockett. “It would prove to all of us that our hard work paid off. We are taught to have the mindset of the next match being the most important one, but we constantly have the thought of the Inter-Ac title in the back of our minds. We knew who our biggest competitors were coming into the season, but we knew we had to play our best each match in order to come out on top.”
Playing a three singles – four doubles format indicates that even with a strong singles line-up you need to have strong doubles teams as a complement in order to gain the four points necessary to win the match.
For the 2019 season, Episcopal had both and it showed throughout the season with EA clinching the match with different positions on the ladder each day.
Senior Natalie Johnston added, “That fact that someone different has come through and won the match for us really reinforces the fact that we are playing as a team and working together towards a common goal.”
Comprising the EA team was sophomore Ashley Kennedy playing No. 1 singles, Freshman Stephania Calastri playing No. 2 singles and sophomore Maddy Mitchell at No. 3 singles. The doubles line-up was filled with experience with Aldridge and Harty playing No. 1 doubles, Burt and Johnston, who played No. 2 doubles once his roster was finalized, Crockett and Hanssens played No. 3 doubles once the roster was finalized and the combination of freshmen Maggie Dugery, Maggie Lo, junior Hollis duPont and freshman Riya Mukherjee) played No. 4 doubles.