Steve Nafziger | Echo
The Taylor men's and women's tennis teams opened their Crossroads League play with losses against a tough Marian opponent on Tuesday. Each team fell by a score of 8-1.
Taylor's lone victories from each side came from freshman Sarah Smith in No. 4 singles and the No. 3 doubles team of seniors Brad Caldwell and Cameron Boehning."I was very pleased with how well the team competed against a very accomplished opponent," said women's head coach Jini Morgan. "The match with Marian showed our strengths and the places where we need to improve."
Each of the Marian men's singles players topped the Trojans in straight sets. Taylor junior Carlos Guarin fought hard, coming back after a 2-6 first set loss to a 5-6 second set, but was forced to retire from the match due to the heat. Freshman Jon Forte also played well, showing a lot of promise in a fight back from a 1-6 first set loss to 4-6 second set defeat.
Injuries have plagued the men's team early in the season already and it has forced the Trojans to make some quick adjustments.
"We had some positives. We also have some injuries which caused some guys to have to play up several positions in the lineup, but we did not play up to our capabilities," said men's head coach Don Taylor. "We need to reduce our unforced errors and make the other team beat us."
The women battled hard against a Marian squad who finished second last year in the Crossroads League standings. Both freshman Katherine Marquez and senior Cassie Fleming were off to a quick start with a win in their first set before suffering a loss to their opponent in the next two. Marquez went 7-5, 0-6, 4-6, while Fleming went 6-2 6-7(4), 1-6. Sarah Smith won in straight sets over her opponent 6-2, 7-5.
"A little less muscle and a bit more thought will quickly move the team toward our goal," Morgan said.
The women's team is still trying to find their chemistry together. Morgan, in her first year as head coach, inherited a team including five freshmen and four seniors.
"We are trying to focus on where we are right now and where we hope to be in the future," Morgan said.
The men will be in action again Saturday at 11 a.m. as they travel to Spring Arbor to take on the Cougars.The women's team bounced back on Thursday defeating conference foe Goshen 8-1. The No. 2 doubles duo of sophomore Rachel Kammer and senior Cassie Flemming bested Goshen's No. 2 doubles partners 8-1, while Taylor's No. 3 doubles, junior Kelsey Chow and senior Alyssa Inserra, pulled out an 8-3 win over their opponent.
The women's No. 2 through No. 6 singles players beat their opponents in two straight sets. No. 1 singles senior Kim won in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.
The women will be in action again with the men's on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Spring Arbor.
