Panther tennis shuts out George
By: Justin Feil
Losses in her first two matches in the Princeton Day School singles lineup did nothing to dissuade Brittany Christian.
”We stayed positive,” said the junior co-captain of the Panthers. “We always try to stay positive. We just said we have lot more matches and we’re going to get it together. Tonight it felt really great to win.”
PDS, playing without its regular lineup for the third straight match to begin the season, swept George, 5-0, Friday to improve to 1-2. Christian also recorded her first win of the season at third singles, 6-3, 6-1 over Aimee Pellegrino, after dropping both of her matches at second singles while first-singles freshman Samantha Leib was away for a tournament.
”It was kind of crazy,” Christian said. “I worked on a lot of singles before this year. I had the goal in mind I really wanted to make third singles. I thought it was a great experience playing up. It’s been really great so far.
”I gained the idea that you can never just let it slide by,” she added. “You have to go for every point and take it easy, but know you’re trying to win. And have fun at the same time. It was a good experience playing up. You realize everyone is good.”
Christian is holding back judgment on this year’s Panthers squad because it hasn’t been at full strength yet. While Leib was back in the lineup Friday with a 6-0, 6-0 varsity debut and Lauren Constantini was back to her usual spot at second singles with a 6-2, 6-3 win, PDS co-captain Raquel Perlman was missing from the second doubles pairing with Nina Limaye due to a college visitation. PDS figures to be stronger than they were in an 8-7 campaign last year with everyone in the lineup.
”I’m looking forward to it,” said PDS head coach Patty Headley. “Hopefully we’ll have it for Lawrenceville on Monday. I hope to have our full lineup for that. That’ll be a tough match.
”I played the top JV singles player rather than break up my doubles team when we were missing our first singles,” she added. “She did really well actually. When the lineup is not the normal lineup, you try to go with the flow. Samantha Leib made her high school debut and won, 6-0, 6-0. Lauren and Brittany rocked today. They really did.”
Headley thinks she can expect more of the same from Christian throughout the season. Christian played second doubles as a freshman, then last year moved up to first doubles. She earned a spot at third singles this year.
”I think she’s ready,” Headley said. “She was borderline singles last year. She’s definitely ready. No question at all. I see her getting better and better.”
Added Christian: “I played a lot of singles in the summer. I realized had to take this to my high school. I went to a few camps and hit around my club.”
Christian focused on improving her serve for the simple reason that she knew she had to lean on only her own game without a partner this year. Though she has always played singles, the Montgomery resident still missed having a partner in matches like Friday’s that took more than two hours to settle. She is adjusting to her first high school singles play.
”I miss having someone there with me,” she said. “I’m not used to just being there with myself. I wanted someone to talk to today.
”I feel a little pressure,” she added. “I know it’s normal. I just started singles this year. I know I’ll feel some pressure, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.”
Headley is confident in having a third-year varsity player moving into the singles lineup. She has seen improvement in Christian since last year, and she sees the personality that fits a co-captain.
”Brittany is much more consistent and focused,” Headley said. “And her fitness level is better. She was always fit, but her fitness level is really good. That means a lot when you have those long slugging third-singles matches. You have to be fit to hang in there. I did think she would make the jump.
”She’s also co-captain of our team. She has so much enthusiasm and team spirit. She has leadership qualities. She really has those qualities to bring people together — she and Raquel both. This is only Raquel’s second season. Between the two of them, they’re awesome team captains.”
Of a team that figures to be good if they play with their regular lineup. Friday, with Perlman missing from the bottom of their lineup, all but one player was in their regular spot and the swept showed some promising results.
”We just went in like we’re going to do our best and go for it,” Christian said. “It was no different than when our lineup was different than it should be.”
The PDS lineup is different this year with a freshman at the top and an experienced sophomore at second singles. At third singles, Christian is anxious to show she’s ready to be a steady contributor, just as she’s been for the past two years in doubles.
”As a freshman, my goal was to get on varsity,” she said. “When I did, I really enjoyed varsity. This year, I came in saying I want to go for singles. I’m really happy because I got my goal.”
Getting her first win in her new spot wasn’t bad either, especially as it helped the Panther girls’ tennis team to its first win of the season Friday.