Tolman sweeps Wizards
PAWTUCKET — The beginning of a long week for the Tolman High girls tennis team got off to a promising start Monday afternoon at Slater Park.
Facing a young West Warwick team, which features just one senior on its roster, the Tigers took care of business, prevailing in routine fashion with 7-0 Division III victory. All seven wins came in straight sets.
Victoria Chmielinski got the home team on the board with a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles over Sara Correia, while two courts over, it was No. 4 singles player Stefanie Harwood defeating Isabel Losier, 6-2, 6-1, to make it 2-0.
The third doubles team comprising of Valeria Alvarado and Amanda Afriyieb won 6-0, 6-2 over Hannah Shinder and Samantha Rosa for the third team point of the day, while top singles player Sarah Colson secured the clinching point with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Maddie Benson, dropping the Wizards to 2-6 on the year.
Now 4-4, the Tigers, just past the midway mark of the season, have their eyes set on a spot in the postseason, a goal that head coach Jon Jasinowski feels is still very much attainable.
“We have a good shot. We’ve got to keep playing, we’re starting to peak,” he said.
Taina Rodriguez had a close match at third singles with West Warwick’s Hannah Collins, with Rodriguez prevailing in the end, 6-4, 6-4, helping to round out a sweep of the singles matches.
The top doubles team of Kim Batista and Gina Carpenter rode their way to a 6-0, 6-4 win over Amaya Raue and McKenzi Swanson, while Alexis Taylor and Jennifer Miranda capped the day with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Yasumin Vongvilay and Abigale Dumschott.
“My doubles teams are starting to gel with the teams that are together. It’s taken a while, putting partners together and they work together and they know each other and everything,” said Jasionowski. “As long as I don’t have anybody missing. When people are missing, I have to juggle up the doubles lineup,” he said.
Between rainouts and hot weather, the Tigers have seen their schedule condensed, as they now find themselves scrambling to get all of their matches completed over the span of the next two weeks.
Seven matches remain in the regular season, with four of them taking place between now and Saturday.
“If we just keep the consistency, everybody will be good,” said Jasinowski, giving a brief preview of each contest and what he expects will come out of them.
“St. Ray’s, that’s going to be a close match. Wednesday, we’re going to lose because Tiverton is undefeated. Friday is Rogers, that’s going to be a shot and then we’re probably going to win against PCD on Saturday,” he said.
“If we can win three out of five, that will help us.”
The Wizards will seek their third win of the season this afternoon when they host undefeated North Providence at 3:30, before facing off against Kent County rival Coventry on Thursday.