Peyton Gaudreau is the No. 1 singles player and one of two junior captains on the Branford women’s tennis team this spring as the Hornets look to secure a postseason berth in the final weeks of the regular season. There is.Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Sound
The Branford girls tennis team knew there would be many learning experiences, wins and losses heading into the 2024 season. Still, the Hornets are staying the course and putting themselves in great position to be in the playoff conversation.
For the 2023 campaign, Branford entered the Class M state tournament as a No. 13 seed. In qualifying on May 26, he defeated world No. 20 Sheehan 4-3. The next day, in the first round, the Hornets faced No. 4 Suffield and lost 4-3, finishing the season with 12 wins and 8 losses, finishing second to SCC Tier 2 Sacred Heart Academy. Finished and qualified to participate. For the conference lottery.
Head coach David Grundel and the Hornets have been playing since early May with a 5-8 record. He said preseason preparations included some deck changes due to inevitable departures due to graduation, and the team aims to retaliate in a rematch late in the regular season to qualify for the postseason. Ta.
“First of all, our obvious goal was to make it to both the SCC and state tournaments,” said Grundel, who is in his third season as head coach. “With the loss of five starting seniors, we knew it could be a challenge. Despite some tough losses, the team is still aiming to qualify for both tournaments. But , which means we need to beat a team that played tough at the beginning of the season but lost.”
Two juniors were at the helm for the captains on and off the court. Erin Newlan occupies the third singles hole in the lineup, with Peyton Gaudreau in the first hole. With such a youthful team, leadership skills off the baseline will prove to be just as important as on-court skills in predicting team success.
“Erin is one of the mainstays of this team. A motivator, she works hard and is going to make her opponent do the job at every point. Peyton is a great person who shows her teammates what is possible with hard work and dedication. In addition to being a player, he is also a polite player and a “de facto” assistant coach. Throughout the season, she has proven her ability to play good tennis. Her only loss was to Cheshire’s Alex Orlins. It was a great match to watch and with this result, I have no doubt that the next matches will be great tennis as well,” Grundel said. “Both captains are only juniors on a young team, but they are learning their roles. They are very excited about how well the team can play and how well this team comes together and strives to get better.” I am confident that their leadership will prove critical in this regard.”
Branford’s lineup also includes the No. 1 doubles team of sophomores Julian Henkel and Tate Jones, sophomore Hana Omeragic, who placed No. 2 solo, and Ridhima Shrestha, No. 3 in doubles.
“Julian and Tate bring the energy and voices we need to get our young team in the mood and energized for the match. For a young team, they play gutsy tennis and give each match He brings impressive consistency,” Grundel said. “Hana Omerasic is getting a lot of attention this year. Last year, her older sister Leila played number two, so Hana steps up to the role. She’s finding confidence and wants to swing more freely and powerfully. This is a young team that is rebuilding, with just one starter, Ridhima Shrestha, and many of them are getting regular minutes that will boost their confidence. It will help us finish this year on a high and give us a springboard for next season to be even better.”
Despite trying to rebuild, the Hornets have still consistently taken on challengers and won. In a 4-3 decision against Sacred Heart Academy on May 1, the overall match went to the No. 3 doubles team of Shrestha and freshman Becca Law, winning 6-1, 6-7 (5-7). did. Won 6-3.
“This pair showed resilience and great grace under pressure to ensure the team’s victory,” Grundel said. “Seeing the rest of the team run up to Becca and Riddhima really showed the camaraderie of this group.”
Several individuals also achieved notable wins during the year. On April 29, No. 2 singles Omeragic played a tough match against North Haven, winning 7-5, 6-2. Newlan dropped the first set against North Haven on April 5, but bounced back to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
On April 1, junior Jenna Acquarullo defeated Shelton in straight sets (7-5, 6-0). Her fellow junior Paloma Bandio won three sets against Foran with set scores of 6-2, 2-6, 6-1. Law and Shrestha won the marathon in two sets (7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3)) against Shelton on April 24th. Finally, the top doubles tandem of Henkel and Jones finished off April 15 against Lauralton Hall (6-2, 5-7, 6-2).
There were certainly plenty of question marks coming into the Hornets’ campaign with such a young roster. But even though it’s only about half way through the regular season, Branford answered them very strongly with a group of girls who not only showed athleticism, but courage and determination to win. .
“The big goal for this young team was to find out who we are, play games that help define our character and motivate us to continue to grow as a team,” Grundel said. Told. “A lot of these young players are stepping up into starting positions and facing challenges, but I’ve seen them rise to those challenges and their efforts have been outstanding this season. It bodes well for the rest and next season.”
Branford’s 2024 roster consists of seniors Carmella Lippolis, Shrestha; Junior of Acquarullo, Banjo, Gaudreau, Newlan, and Linka Orosh. Sophomores Lillian Gagliardi, Henkel, Jones, Ira Omeragic, and Hana Omeragic. Plus freshmen Law, Emma McAdams and Chinonyelem Obi.
2024 Branford Women’s Tennis Team Regular Season Schedule and Results
March 30: Staples 6, Branford 1
April 1: Branford 5, Shelton 2
April 5: North Haven 5, Branford 2
April 15: Lauralton Hall 4, Branford 3
April 16: Guilford 6, Branford 1
April 17: Cheshire 6, Branford 0
April 19: Mercy 5, Branford 2
April 24: Branford 5, Shelton 2
April 25: Branford 5, Foran 2
April 29: North Haven 4, Branford 3
May 1: Branford 4, Sacred Heart Academy 3
May 2: Guilford 6, Branford 1
Monday, May 6: 4 p.m. at Albertus Magnus Sacred Heart Academy.
Wednesday 8th May: 3:45pm at Lauralton Hall
Friday, May 10: vs. Cheshire 3:45 p.m.
Monday, May 13: 3:45 p.m. at Mercy, Wesleyan University
