With the fall semester underway, Cairn’s women’s tennis team gained some brand new players this season! According to Assistant Coach Tara Munro, there are two returning students who have never played tennis before, along with three freshmen joining the team. One of the new players, Penndel RA Ricki White, was able to win her first two matches on the September 14th game against Rosemont. Freshman Kara Williams said it was this “clean-sweep win” against Rosemont that will help the team have more confidence in their future games and to improve their skills.

Practices have been going well for the women’s tennis team with their time being used to develop their individual skills, as well as assisting each other in honing their methods and techniques. The girls are growing together as a team as they learn how to work and play together. The practices, while they can be hard at times, are fun and enjoyable for the girls. Williams stated that she feels incredibly thankful to be a part of the team and that she “couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to fellowship with.”

Munro stated that one of the hardest things for the team this year is dealing with injuries. The #1 singles player, Becca Graber, has been experiencing back pain. The #6 singles player, Williams, suffers from heat exhaustion. Both Williams and teammate Melissa Chery have been dealing with knee problems. Munro gives strong advice when she warns that, “If we aren’t stretching properly, it can be really hard on the muscles and joints.” The women’s tennis leaders are going to be instituting caution and care to ensure that their players will be able to avoid further injury.

While tennis may not appeal to some as a very attention-grabbing sport, the support of fellow students means a lot to the players. When being interviewed, Williams mentioned that, “It means so much to have our fellow teammates and peers attend our home matches and cheer us on,” feeling that it “adds a level of confidence that can help a player’s performance.” Munro emphasized that it is an incredible encouragement when Cairn students support the team by attending the games.

So far this year, the girls have had more support than before, and Munro states that she likes “seeing our girls get the attention they deserve…..so it means a lot to us when there is support from fans.” After all, the players are fellow students and classmates, and Munro notes that “you can really watch someone play their heart out…our girls have been giving it their all so far this season.”

The women’s tennis team’s next match is this Saturday the 26th at noon, as a home game against The City College of New York. While it has been a bit of a bumpy start for the team due to injuries, it would mean a lot to them to have fellow students and classmates come cheer them on! The tennis court is located on campus, up on the hill above the MAC.