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05/31/2021 12:00 AMAfter completing an 11-win regular season, the Branford girls’ tennis team entered the SCC Division II Tournament as the No. 3 seed last week. The Hornets won a close contest against Sheehan in the semifinal round to advance to face Jonathan Law in the final, where the Hornets took a defeat.
On May 24, Branford headed to Wallingford to take on Sheehan in the SCC semis and earned a 4-3 victory over the 2nd-seeded Titans. The next day, the Hornets were in Milford to play top-seeded Law in the championship match and lost the contest by a 6-1 score. Branford has an overall record of 12-5 as it opens play in the Class L State Tournament this week.
Heading into the SCC semifinals, Branford and Sheehan had already played each other twice during the regular season with each team earning a 4-3 victory. Head Coach Jim Cole said that the Hornets knew they were going to be in for a battle and needed to bring their best effort to every matchup in order to defeat Sheehan in round three.
“Sheehan is a very strong team. We beat them the first time, and then they turned the tables on us midseason. We knew going into to the semifinals we had our work cut out for us,” said Cole. “Everybody needed to play well. Fortunately, they were able to compete the way they wanted to. It was a long, very emotional match.”
Branford and Sheehan were locked in a 3-3 tie heading into the final match of the afternoon at No. 3 doubles. The Hornets were represented by senior captain Hanna Bloomquist and sophomore Scout Engstrom in the contest. Bloomquist and Engstrom won the first set 6-2 before Sheehan’s tandem battled back to win the second set 6-4. Bloomquist and Engstrom then won the third set 7-6 in a 7-4 tiebreaker to give the Hornets a 4-3 team victory.
“It was a lot of fun. It was very exciting. All the girls ran out on the court and hugged the No. 3 doubles team. It was joyous to see them celebrate,” Coach Cole said. “That was the high point of the season for us so far as a team. The pressure on Hanna and Scout was pretty great. They were solid as a rock. They did their job. They’ll remember that as long as they live.”
Senior captain Shae Lepre claimed a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) victory for Branford in the No. 1 singles match against Sheehan. Sophomore Leila Omeragic earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles, while fellow sophomore Evelyn Mollow won her No. 3 singles matchup by a 6-1, 6-1 final.
Coming off its semifinal win, Branford faced Law in the SCC Division II final and lost by a 6-1 score. Omeragic notched a 6-1, 6-4 win in the No. 2 singles match to account for the Hornets’ victory. Despite the defeat, Coach Cole was impressed with how his team competed against a stellar Law squad in the title bout.
“Law is a very, very strong team,” said Cole. “They’ve got a superstar No. 1 singles player. They’re strong top to bottom.”
Branford posted a record of 11-4 during the regular season this spring. The Hornets never competed with their full lineup due to quarantines, but Cole said that the Hornets’ athletes bought in early on and developed confidence that they carried with them into the playoffs.
“We were troubled in the beginning, because a couple of our players were quarantined. We haven’t played a match with our full lineup, but the girls had a great season. They’re peaking at just the right time,” Cole said. “We won all of the matches that we should have and a couple that were very close. The girls committed to themselves early, and that commitment hasn’t diminished. They are working every day to be ready for the next match.”
The Hornets are led by senior captains Bloomquist and Lepre this season. Coach Cole believes that both captains have done a great job of piloting the squad through constant communication. Cole called both Bloomquist and Lepre natural leaders and said that they will have success wherever they go beyond Branford.
Lepre put together a record of 12-3 in the regular season while playing No. 1 singles for the Hornets. Omeragic went 15-0 at the No. 2 spot, and Morrow was 14-1 at the No. 3 singles position. Junior Nuala Paudyal compiled a 13-2 record at No. 4 singles during regular-season play. Lepre and Omeragic were both named to the All-SCC Division II First Team for their efforts.
Coach Cole said that the performances of Branford’s singles players have proved crucial to the Hornets’ success this spring.
“Our singles players have been our anchor. Evelyn is the strongest No. 3 player in the league by a lot. She is very strong as a player and a complete competitor. She has represented her school in the best possible way,” said Cole. “From looking at the numbers, the singles are where we are the strongest competitively.”
Branford is participating in the Class L State Tournament that got underway on May 28 (after press time). Coach Cole is hoping that the Hornets can continue riding their wave of momentum and finish the season with their heads held high, feeling proud about what they’ve accomplished in 2021.
“I want them to feel good about themselves and how they’ve represented their family and school. They were always good sports and models of competition,” Cole said. “I want them to feel good and leave the season behind them looking forward to next year. I want them to feel motivated and proud.”
This year’s Branford girls’ tennis roster features senior captains Hanna Bloomquist and Shae Lepre; fellow senior Arpita Shrestha; juniors Reese Inzero, Nuala Paudyal, Zaide Schlesinger, Celina Shrestha, and Juliana Torello; sophomores Scout Engstrom, Evelyn Kaiser, Evelyn Mollow, Leila Omeragic, Dominique Smith, and Lila Wasiolek; and freshmen Carmella Lippolis and Claudia Romano.