What We Really Enjoyed 2: Oak Farm

Match Reel 

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Varsity Recap

The varsity faced a new team tonight, the Oak Farm Falcons. Oak Farm is just starting its tennis program, actually fielding a team despite not yet having courts at the school. They have a plan to build the program that is really exciting. So we are honored to be a part of their very first season.

Our team was prepared for the match. With no threat of rain, we began warmups early focusing on consistency. The theme of the night was to really try to eliminate the simple unforced errors that can creep into our games. And so, we entered the match with that as a goal.

#1 doubles was the first match to get started after the warmup time, and the first match to end. Justin and Tristan had eased their way through their match. Tonight, even their second serves were difficult for their opponents to handle. But I especially loved the way the were ready at the net. With a little more time on the ball, they really volleyed well to clean up any second shots after the serve. 

#2 doubles followed, also with a match where their serves won them a lot of points. But with the #2D, the forehands and backhands looked especially well-struck in this match. Their opponents were fairly inexperienced, and didn't provide a lot of pace on their shots. This gave Emerson and Keagan time on the ball, and sometimes this time can make us overthink our shots or go for too much power. Emerson and Keagan simplified tonight, which was great. Simple shots to aggressive spots, that's the name of the game in doubles.

The singles match were constructed of much longer points. Though the Falcon opponents still didn't provide a ton of powerful tennis, they were athletic and consistent. Noah won his match without dropping a game, but it still lasted much longer than the doubles contests. Noah again looked impressive, coming up with whatever shot was needed in the point. Passing shots were especially noticeable, as was a backhand that was increasingly putting him in good spots. I continue to enjoy watching Noah come forward to the net as well, really taking advantage of his naturally soft touch there.

Gideon had the same type of match as Noah. There were many good, long points. Gideon served and returned really well in this match, which held back his opponent. Those two elements are crucial, and really set Gid up for a good match.

Finally, the longest match of the day was #3S. Ian's opponent was very skilled in retrieval, and so points were long. Ian couldn't quite find an attacking stroke, so often hit more defensive shots. In the end, Ian found ways to move toward strengths, and closed the last several games out quickly after some grinders in the middle.

All in all, the Bruins got a first win of the 2023 season. There are certainly more to come, maybe some that are more dramatic and tightly contested, but we are ready for more.

JV Recap

There was no JV match tonight, but we did get some practice in. It was really fun and encouraging to watch the guys work on their net game tonight, reading different types of shots and reacting to them. This is something that we have to get better at as a whole team, reading the spin and speed of shots and positioning ourselves correctly to hit the sweet spot. It was awesome seeing the team working through a fun drill together, really getting a lot of that kind of work in.

Moments of Joy
These are going to be moments that I saw in the match that were fun, beautiful and memorable! Again, just from what I happened to see :-)

Gideon's Returns

Gideon really stepped up and returned well in this match. His opponent had a sneaking, swerving, change up of a serve. Gideon adjusted his positioning early in the match and found that he could hit a pretty extreme angle cross court. Throughout the match, Gideon kept finding that shot and winning points. 

Noah's Net Play

Noah really focused on using mid-court balls to get forward to the net in this match. When he got there, Noah had a deft array of drop shots, deep slices, and overhead smashes. You can see one near the end of the reel above, but it was great.

Tristan and Justin's Touch

Tristan and Justin are strong players. Their power and serves are a great strength. But in today's match they worked on some touch, especially at the net. Tristan found really good spots to direct his forehands. Justin kept soft hands and solid drive on his forehands and volleys. I especially enjoyed watching the well placed approach shots in the match, as they worked two players forward to the net. 

Ice Cream Sandwiches

This is self-explanatory, right? The SGA (Student Government Association) brought ice cream sandwiches out for fans (and players) who were watching the match. Amazing!

Moments of Encouragement
This segment is where I'll highlight ways that we built each other up during the match or the lead up to it.

Team Buy-In

It was so cool to see the JV squad all stick around for the varsity only match. It's easy to get distracted in a sport like tennis, and imagine that this is all about being an individual. I really value the players who lean into the team support concept, and don't just play for themselves, but love to stay and laugh and enjoy the matches of their friends and teammates. Especially cool to see our ninth graders making that effort. It builds well for the future!

Moment of Intention

This is a space where I will offer a short prayer for the team.

Dear God,

Thanks for another match, another day with our team. Continue to help us feel ready and cared for in this new year of school and new year of tennis. May being on this team, in this season, be a blessing. And may we make it a blessing for others.

Amen.

Scores

Varsity

#1S - Noah Schrock - 6-0, 6-0 - Kochanski (10)

#2S - Gideon Miller - 6-0, 6-0 - Elias (10)

#3S - Ian McHugh - 6-1, 6-2 - Moser (10)

#1D - Tristan Mast/Justin Hochstedler - 6-0, 6-0 - Linthicum (11)/Lowe (10)

#2D - Emerson Landis/Keagan Meyer - 6-0, 6-1 - Schoonover (11)/Fitzharris (9)