With hopes high for this season, the Washington girls tennis team, coached by Jim Witt, has already been hard at work.
An excellent season last fall (14-2) sets up the girls for what they hope is an equally successful year.
“All eight of my top players are ready to hit,” Witt said. “Last year we were undefeated in non-conference, beat Pekin and (Bloomington) Central Catholic for the first time since I have been a coach here, and beat Dunlap for the first time ever, so we are looking forward to a good season.”
The girls are going to need to be ready with a harder season than normal approaching them.
“We added some tournaments so the schedule should be more difficult this year,” Witt said. “We lose some dual meets, but the girls get to play more with the tournaments.”
Witt, who has been coaching the Washington girls since 2005, said despite losing a No. 3 singles state qualifier, he is confident that his top two players are ready to build upon the success from last year.
“Catrina Hollaway was first-team all-conference and Chandler Duchaine was second-team all conference and also made it to the state finals last year,” Witt said. “At this point I could switch the girls’ position and not see a change.”
The rest of the squad consists of: seniors Paige Marchini and Sarah Uftring and juniors Vanessa Doty, Megan Ernst, Maura O’Brien and Katie Vroman.
The team might even receive some new talent from junior varsity coach Cay Ernst.
“It is looking like a couple of the JV girls might be ready to move up to varsity this year,” Ernst said. “There are currently four players who are right around the same level.”
It is a personal goal of Witt’s to get more girls into the state finals this year, and with two-a-day practices during the past couple weeks, he is hoping to achieve this.
“I think this is the first time that girls tennis has ever done two practices a day,” Witt said. “The girls have been great about it though and have been showing up ready to practice.”
The practice seems to have done its job, with the Washington girls beating East Peoria, 9-0, on Aug. 24 in
its opener.
Hollaway, Duchaine, Vroman, Marchini, Uftring and Doty were singles winners.
In doubles, Hollaway/Duchaine, Vroman/Marchini and Uftring/O’Brien were the victorious combinations.
Eight of the nine matches at Illinois Central College were decided in straight sets.
The Oct. 5 match vs. East Peoria will serve as the conference result.
The Lady Panthers nabbed an important league win Thursday, 5-4, vs. Dunlap.
Washington broke a tie after singles play to hand the Eagles their second loss of the week.
The team Hollaway/Duchaine earned a 6-3, 7-5 win, while Doty and Ernst squeaked out a 7-5, 7-5 victory.
Hollaway (6-2, 6-4) and O’Brien (6-0, 6-2) won in two sets, while Duchaine (3-6, 6-3, 6-0) outlasted her opponent in three.
— Bryan Veginski contributed to this story
