RED BANK CATHOLIC
R ed Bank Catholic (RBC) High
School’s girls tennis team entered the week with a perfect 8-0 mark in the Shore Conference’s Class B North Division as it prepared for crucial home-and-home matches against Wall High School (9-3), whose only division loss came against Ocean.
Coach Lynn DiGioia’s Caseys are 11-1 overall, with the only loss coming against Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. RBC has also earned the top seed and a first-round bye for the NJSIAA Non-Public A South tournament. The Caseys played Notre Dame High School on Oct. 8 at Brookdale Community College. RBC reached the sectional finals in 2013, where it fell to Pingry School.
“This is a big week for us,” DiGioia said. “We need to beat Wall, and we have a state sectional match. So, the girls will need to be at their best. If we get by Wall, we still have to play Ocean twice. So, we have a lot of important matches ahead of us.”
Thus far, the Caseys’ lineup has certainly been up to the task. Despite having to play the best players in the Shore, senior Colette Gilbert has put together a 6-6 mark at first singles thanks to her overall quickness, a powerful forehand and an accurate serve.
In the second spot, gritty left-hander Jenna Giordano is 12-2 and reached the finals of the Monmouth County Tournament. Her court sense, shot selection and top-spin forehand make Giordano a formidable opponent.
Eylee Earle, who moved up from doubles, has sparkled in the third singles slot. Her ability to keep balls in play wears down the opposition and has helped Earle compile a 12-2 mark. The junior picked up RBC’s only point in the 4-1 loss to Rumson Fair Haven, as Earle won her match in the tiebreaker.
Doubles is a strong suit as well. Senior Alana DiLeo and junior Kate Mazza have complemented each other to the tune of a
13-2 mark. The aggressive Mazza, who combines a big serve with powerful groundstrokes, is the perfect foil to go with DiLeo’s wide array of slices and lobs. The duo scored a 6-0, 6-0 win over Clearview Regional High School in the opening round of the state doubles tournament. They will meet Oak
Knoll High School next.
RBC is also strong at second doubles, where Courtney Lebrecque and Erin Mattone have posted a 10-2 mark. Lebrecque owns a superb backhand and is able to track down seemingly out of reach balls, while Mattone, a sophomore, has putaway power.
The Caseys’ bench is deep as well. The third doubles team of senior Amy Dowden and freshman Alexis Fuda, who would likely start for many other teams; seniors Samantha Gaudio, Alexandra Krynycyi, Haley Mulroy and Sarah Mallepalle; and junior Hayley Vingis give RBC plenty of depth.
“It helps to have a lot of seniors because it seems to increase the maturity level of the entire team,” DiGioia said.