Juggernaut in the making: John Jay girls win first four tennis matches

Quinn Barrow drills a backhand for Fox Lane. JIM MACLEAN PHOTOS

By JIM MACLEAN 

Each season is a new team and a new start with players lost to graduation and underclassmen stepping up into a starting role. You can never really know until the new team steps on to the court how it will respond and stack up against other teams at the varsity level, but the results have been perfect so far for the John Jay girls varsity tennis team.

John Jay was hit hard by graduation, but the Wolves have jumped out to a perfect start on the year opening with a pair of home-and-away victories over Eastchester by the identical scores of 7-0. 

Outfoxed

The Wolves then hosted rival Fox Lane on Friday, Sept. 11, and John Jay pulled away for a 6-1 victory over the Foxes. The Wolves then defeated Pelham 4-3 for a perfect 4-0 start to the new season.

Not bad, and John Jay coach Julie McCaffrey likes what she sees from her young lineup as the Wolves have responded on the court, combining talent with resilience to pull out matches at the varsity level.

“We have a lot of new faces, we lost 11 seniors from last year, and we have four freshmen on varsity,” McCaffrey said of her roster. “We’re off to a very good start to the season. I’m very happy, and it’s just a really nice group of girls. They are really good sports on the court, they respect the game and the sport and lift each other up, a really great group of girls and they’re having a lot of fun.”

One veteran back to lead the way has been Lauren Metro as she takes over as the number one singles player for the Wolves. Metro led the way for John Jay, winning at first singles over Quinn Barrow of Fox Lane by a score of 6-0, 6-2.

Lauren Metro returns serve on her way to victory in first singles for John Jay.

A clean sweep

John Jay was able to sweep the three singles matches with Sophie Inana winning at second singles over Sophia Simone by a score of 6-0, 6-1, and Ryla Krulik scoring a 6-0, 6-1 victory over K.C. Olivia at third singles.

“Lauren played second singles for us the last two years and she has really elevated her game this year,” McCaffrey said of Metro. “We’re really strong at singles and we have a pair of freshmen at first doubles that have been a really good addition to the lineup.”

First doubles proved to be one of the most exciting matches of the day as John Jay freshman twin sisters Amanda and Monica Popescu prevailed over Ari Davidson and Avery Stark. The match featured several long rallies with the Popescu twins prevailing by the score of 6-3, 7-6.

At second doubles, Julianna Kolano and Virginia Farrell of John Jay scored a 6-0, 6-1 win over Marissa Wachs and Sammi Saldutti. In third doubles, Charlotte Ball and Ray Maex of John Jay scored a 6-2, 6-3 win over Aela Mannion and Ana Kwalasser.

Sophie Inana rushes the net for a forehand winner for the Wolves.

Double trouble

The highlight of the match for Fox Lane was the final match of the day as Alice Levine and Anya Borelli scored a 6-3, 6-3 win over Arianna Moore and Smara Wysmuller to make the final score 6-1.

John Jay kept up its winning ways as the Wolves were back on the court the next day, hosting Pelham on Saturday, Sept. 12, and pulling out a 4-3 win over the Pelicans. The Wolves were set to host White Plains on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and then New Rochelle on Friday, Sept. 18.

Fox Lane had opened the season with a 4-3 win over Eastchester as the Foxes now stand at 1-1 overall. The Foxes were set to face Pelham on the road on Wednesday, Sept. 16, before traveling to Eastchester on Tuesday, Sept. 22.