By RYAN WALKER
Norwell’s girls’ tennis team is off to a hot start to the season, defeating Snider on the road Friday afternoon to improve their record to now 4-0.
The Knights won handily by a score of 5-0 with every set going in its favor — again. All four victories have been the same 5-0 score. The dominance has dated back to last season after going 15-1 and claiming both the Northeast 8 Conference and sectional championships.
The team even graduated three all-conference players from last year and still hasn’t looked as if they’ve missed a beat.
Eighth-year head coach Holly Kimball has won the NE8 half the years she’s been at the head of the program, and she believes this year’s team can make it No. 5.
“I would like to think we’ll compete for conference again and certainly compete for a sectional title, so it’s not unheard of that we can take those titles back and retain them both which would be awesome and I think the first time Norwell’s done that in a while,” Kimball said.
With only one loss in 20 tries since last year, it can be a challenge to get a team focused, especially winning every set, but Kimball’s group has the tunnel vision of getting better every game and practice.
She noted the team this year had a different edge to them. The capability to think and adjust on the fly during games, changing the game up to where opponents are thrown off. The players will come off the court and tell Kimball what they’re doing right and wrong and use the other team’s weaknesses to gain an edge. She admitted that she didn’t think she’s ever seen it before in previous years.
The Knights outside of regular season play are still competitive during practices and working on getting stronger as a unit. The coaching staff lets them play against one another more during practice and lets them go.
“They’re always motivated to beat each other, so that’s really helpful during practice,” she said. “We have them play each other a lot. They want to be the best. They want to get that conference championship again. They want to get that sectional championship again, and we’re not going to let them slip down because you can’t let down.”
During games, the competitive spirit still remains, and Norwell’s team comes back together and roots one another on. Players will take a quick look over other matches to see how their teammates are doing and give encouragement to one another.
It’s a group that gets along well and wants others to do their best so that they can be the best.
“I think that they communicate to each other really well, and I think they hype each other up, and its really a team atmosphere, and I think that builds them all up,” she said.
Varsity results in the 5-0 match against Snider:
• Addy Heyerley defeated Emilie Henry 6-3, 6-1 in No. 1 singles.
• McKenna McNabb defeated Blaire Birkenbeul 6-0, 6-0 in No. 2 singles.
• Delaney Hoover defeated Jensen Miguel 6-2, 6-4 in No. 3 singles.
• Annabelle Johnson and Macy Felger defeated Lexie Matthias and Hannah Schroeder 6-2, 6-4 in No. 1 doubles.
• Jordyn Xayyachack and Idoia Ochoa defeated Wai Wai Khaing and Tatum Miguel 6-1, 6-3 in No. 2 doubles.
Norwell also swept through the junior varsity match 6-0.
Junior varsity results
• Brooklyn Pine and Macie Saalfrank defeated Ella Taylor and Natalie Smith 8-3.
• Ciera Hiester and Gracie Rinkenberger defeated Hannah Jackson and Kara Rose 8-0.
• Emma Roembke and Gabbi Hoeppner defeated Breanna Spuller and Hannah Henry 8-6.
• Ella Krug and Aubrey Meyer defeated Isabella King and Alonna Mull 8-0.
• Hope Mitchell and Emmaline Johnson defeated Sarah Arabi and Annabella Woollacott 8-3.
• Addison Roembke and Campbell Sloan defeated Hannah Jackson and Kara Rose 6-1.
Norwell will be on the road at Adams Central starting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 17.
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