By:T.J. Furman
Things have calmed down somewhat around the Monroe girls tennis team lately, but it’s about to get busy again.
After several three- and four-match weeks, the Falcons have played only two teams from Oct. 4 to 17. The next two weeks, however, are a full schedule for Monroe, with six matches from Wednesday through the end of next week.
The Falcons (9-5, regular season) defeated Sayreville 3-2 Oct. 12 with a depleted lineup over Sayreville after falling in the Central Jersey Group II tournament two days earlier to Somerville. Monroe started its stretch drive toward the season’s end with a match against South Amboy on Wednesday, although weather was threatening to cancel that one.
No. 1 singles player Kristen Jandola skipped the Sayreville match with an upper-respiratory ailment that started bothering her in the state playoff match. Senior Christina Venetucci continued her sparkling season, running her record to 14-1 on the year, filling the top singles slot for the first time in 2000.
The top singles slot cannot be forfeited in girls tennis, so Venetucci was forced to move up from second singles. Head coach Trudy Marmorek then had to make a decision whether to forfeit second singles or to juggle the rest of her lineup.
“I would have hated to give up a point without a fight,” Marmorek said. “We moved some people around and said ‘We’ll do the best we can.’”
Her singles players rewarded their coach by sweeping through their matches.
Marmorek was particularly pleased with a win by Kaitlyn Schobert at second singles, snapping out of the losing streak she’s been mired in for some time with a straight-sets win.
“Kaitlyn played really well,” Marmorek said. “She was more focused. She seemed relaxed. She’s really got tremendous talent and we have to refine and fine-tune it.”
Marmorek thinks Schobert’s struggles were mental and became compounded by a lack of confidence when she was in the middle of the skid. With a win at a higher position — second singles, where she had yet to play this year — confidence should not be a problem for Schobert in the season’s final week.
“On any given day, it’s hard to say what the difference is” between a good and bad performance, Marmorek said. “Who knows? They’re teen-agers.”
Meredith Blumenstock was moved up from first doubles to third singles, where she earned the first individual victory of her career.
The Falcons’ normal lineup will be in place for the remainder of the season, excluding any further injuries or ailments. Jandola returned to practice Tuesday and should be able to complete the season in her usual role, Marmorek said.
The sophomore was 10-3 entering play on Wednesday.
