I
n a year of some transition for the 1st
VI, established performers Jess
Kennedy (captain) and Minnie Taylor
were blended with the junior talent of
Pearllan Cipriano and first team
newcomer Leea D. This blend of youth
and experience worked well, with the first
couple Pearllan and Jess complementing
each other with contrasting styles of play
against a powerful and well-drilled
Taunton School team. Despite the strong
lead from our first pair, the opposition
was too strong for King's at second and
third pairs and the first match of the
season ended in a 7-2 defeat.
The pairings were retained for the away
match against Wellington where again
Pearllan and Jess performed well, winning
two of their three matches. With the
match finely balanced at 4-4, second pair
Pippa O'Neill and Minnie Taylor just failed
to win in a nailbiting deciding match.
After defeat at Blundell's, changes were
made to the main body of the team for
Sherborne. New first pair Pearllan and
Cara Kossen performed brilliantly,
winning all three matches. Excellent
support came from second and third pairs
Minnie and Leea and Pippa and Vicky
Smith, yielding three wins collectively,
and resulting in a fine 6-3 win against a
strong Sherborne team.
Further positive results followed, starting
with a battling 5-4 win against West
Buckland in extremely difficult windy
conditions. The team suffered a major
blow when Jess injured a hamstring whilst
playing a low volley during the first pair's
first rubber. This ultimately cost the pair
all three matches, as Jess was not in a fit
state to play the level 1 match. This left
the second and third pairs needing to pick
up five from their six rubbers, which to
their significant credit, they managed to
achieve, the last match for Minnie and
Leea hinging on a deciding tiebreak.
In a noteworthy win against Millfield, the
King's girls showed far greater appetite
for the cut and thrust of this doubles
format, overpowering the opposition
across the board and showing impressive
attitude and commitment.
This run of victories came to an end with
a 6-3 loss to a strong Canford side. Jess
returned to form alongside Pearllan,
winning all three matches, the third of
which was a resounding 6-1 defeat of
their opposite pairing.
The Richard Huish fixture was a
comfortable 7-2 victory, a match in which
the first pair were well supported by Cara
and Pippa, who managed to win two
matches - a noteworthy debut also for
Elena Close who picked up one rubber
with Leea at third pair.
The team regrouped for the final fixture of
the season. Led by Jess and Pearllan the
team swept local rivals Queen's aside with
a powerful, commanding performance - a
very pleasing way to end the season.
This year King's entered the ISTA
Championships (for the Loveband
Trophy). This event produced some of
the best individual and team
performances of the year and special
praise should be given to Jess and
Pearllan for reaching the quarter-finals.
Thanks to Jess Kennedy for her significant
contribution to King's tennis, and we look
forward to next year's pre-season training
camp in the Algarve.
Girls' Tennis
1st VI
by Adrian Simcox
Pearllan Cipriano in acrobatic
action against Taunton School
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