How Bishop Stang's first doubles team became a dominant duo
NEW BEDFORD — As first-year seniors on Bishop Stang’s girls tennis team, Julia Downey and Charlotte Sisson have formed a winning duo at first doubles this spring.
They captured their 15th victory of the season together on Thursday afternoon to help the top-seeded Spartans beat No. 16 Reading Memorial 4-1 in the Div. 2 Sweet 16 at Buttonwood Park.
And to think neither Downey or Sisson were a part of Stang’s tennis team a year ago.
Downey was off playing lacrosse for the Spartans while Sisson was a member of Old Rochester’s tennis team.
“This is my first time playing,” said Downey. “I’ve always played tennis and lacrosse. I played tennis in the summer and I didn’t want to give up a sport but I realized I liked tennis way more than lacrosse so I said, ‘It’s my last time, my senior year, why not just do tennis?’”
Sisson said she met Downey over the summer.
“She didn’t play tennis yet (at Bishop Stang) so I said, ‘Oh my God, you should play,’” Sisson said. “We started playing together. I told her I was coming here and then we started playing together and meshing. Julia is great. We can balance each other out and we have great communication.”
Bishop Stang first-year head coach John Sargent said the pair complement each other well.
“They have a great chemistry,” he said. “Char is very enthusiastic and a great partner. Julia is really thinking on the court. She’s a fantastic athlete. It’s an odd couple that has melded perfectly. They’ve really played well. They’ve communicated well on the court. They enjoy each other’s company and they’ve gotten better with every match.”
Sargent said a turning point for Sisson and Downey this season was a loss to Old Rochester on April 5.
“They didn’t play well and they played a team that was good. It was a good doubles team that communicated well,” Sargent said. “At one level it was a really good lesson for them. I said, ‘That’s the doubles team you want to be.’”
That was also when Sargent decided to switch things up.
“They lost the first set 6-0 and I said, ‘Switch sides. Let’s see if you can generate some action here,’” he recalled. “And they’ve stayed on those same sides ever since.
“They’ve come a long way. They’re a very good and very aggressive team. They were tentative at the beginning of the year, but they both can get after it and they were pounding it today. It's good chemistry.”
After the loss to ORR, the tandem have won 13 straight together.
Downey said that Sisson has helped bring out the best in her and vice versa.
“We don’t really blame each other if we miss a point,” she said. “We roll with the punches. We keep supporting each other and we help each other get better. We just help each other improve.”
While Sisson knew this team had the potential to do something special, she never expected this.
“Our team is amazing,” she said. “Everyone is so supportive of each other. It’s a great team culture. I knew we would do well, but this has been a dream come true. I’m so excited.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
The match started on Tuesday, but was suspended until Thursday afternoon because of inclement weather. The Spartans forfeited the No. 1 singles match with Lexy Wynn (17-3) out sick. “We came into the match down a point already because we had to forfeit at one,” Sargent said. “She wasn’t feeling well. Hopefully she’ll be better for the next round.” Stang got wins from No. 2 Katherine Johnson over Elise Verrier 6-1, 6-0, No. 3 Sarah Pothier over Lucy Weld 6-0, 6-0, the first doubles team of Sisson and Downey over Ella Keddy and Catie Amiralt 6-0, 6-2 and the second doubles team of Holly Eyre and Lilly Manning over Sachi Selvakumar and Lacy Carciero 6-1, 6-0. Johnson is now 20-0 on the season while Pothier improved to 18-1. The first doubles team is 15-1 while the second doubles team is 11-1.
WHAT IT MEANS: With the win, the Spartans improved to 20-0 on the season. Stang is scheduled to host No. 8 Duxbury (17-5) at 10 a.m. on Saturday at New Bedford High in the Div. 2 Elite 8. A year ago, the Spartans beat the Dragons 3-2 in the Sweet 16 on their way to reaching the Final 4. … Reading Memorial finished the year with a record of 10-7.
SARGENT ON JOHNSON’S UNDEFEATED SEASON: “Katherine has been great all year. It’s like having two No. 1s. She’s strong, she’s aggressive and she’s poised. It’s a pretty good combination.”
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Bishop Stang girls tennis beats Reading Memorial in Div. 2 Sweet 16
