Strong singles and dynamic doubles: Our 2023 Girls Tennis Super Team and All-Stars
It was a season to remember for the Bishop Stang girls tennis team as the Spartans went undefeated during the regular season, captured the Catholic Central League championship and reached the Div. 2 state semifinals for the second straight year.
Fairhaven and Old Rochester also had strong seasons in the South Coast Conference.
Here's the top girls tennis players from the SouthCoast in 2023.
SUPER TEAM
Singles
Elizabeth DaCunha, Fairhaven, Junior
Went 15-3 playing at first singles for the Blue Devils and earned South Coast Conference All-Star honors. Played with a lot of experience and proved to be one of the most consistent players in the area. "She's been playing a long time and it shows," Fairhaven coach Tara Costa said. "She's a competitor who always gives her best effort. She did a great job keeping herself in points and finishing them off with solid ground strokes and volleys. She has a well-rounded game, with a good serve that helped her all season. She was competitive in every one of her matches and showed a lot of mental toughness."
Katherine Johnson, Bishop Stang, Freshman
Went undefeated (18-0) at second doubles to match the Spartans' regular-season record and earned All-Star honors in the competitive Catholic Central League. Energized the team's lineup as a freshman and played like a veteran despite her youth. "She was steady, strong, and unruffled all season," Bishop Stang coach John Sargent said. "She was really good at finding her opponents' weaknesses and exploiting them. She helped herself with a good serve and she wasn't afraid to go to the net. She played with a lot of skill and confidence. She didn't lose a set all season until the (Div. 1) state semifinals."
Neva Matos, Old Rochester, Freshman
Finished 12-3 overall and 12-1 in the South Coast Conference at first singles. Earned SCC All-Star honors, won the league's singles championship, and was named the conference's MVP. "Neva accomplished a lot in her first season on the varsity and she's going to be a force to be reckoned with in the league for the remainder of her high school years," said Old Rochester coach Kyle Noseworthy. "She has a tremendous skill set and she's good at placing the ball all over the court. She has a tough serve and she's always on the attack. She wasn't afraid to go to the net and she did a great job keeping points alive and giving herself a chance to win them."
Doubles
Gabby Berg, Senior, and Macy Ingham, Junior, Old Rochester
Finished 6-2 at first doubles and combined to win the South Coast Conference championship and earn SCC All-Star honors. Both also played singles for the Bulldogs. Ingham was 10-3 overall and 9-2 in the conference at number two, while Berg put together an 11-2 overall record and 10-1 league mark at number three. "They paired very well together," Old Rochester coach Kyle Noseworthy said. "They played with a lot of chemistry and confidence. They kept each other in points, and both chipped in with tough serves and solid ground strokes. They made a lot of progress together as the season progressed."
Julia Downey, Senior, and Charlotte Sisson, Senior, Bishop Stang
Combined for a 13-1 record at first singles on the way to earning Catholic Central League All-Stars. A track star for the Spartans, Downey helped the team with her strategic approach to the game. A transfer from Old Rochester Regional who's headed to Assumption College in the fall, Sisson played with a lot of energy and focus. "They were a perfect combination," Bishop Stang coach John Sargent said. "They were smart and aggressive and had perfect chemistry. Julia played with a lot of quickness and good hands, while Charlotte was a big hitter who put a lot of pressure on their opponents in every match."
Strong singles and dynamic doubles: Our 2023 Boys Tennis Super Team and All-Stars
ALL-STAR TEAM
Singles
Brooklyn Bindas, Wareham, Junior
A three-time Standard-Times Girls Tennis Player of the Year, Bindas was limited to nine matches this past season because of a hip injury. Even so, she still managed to put together a 9-0 overall record (including a pair of playoff wins) at first singles. When healthy, Bindas has been one of the most dominant players in the area. Won all of her matches in straight sets this past season and will be a force as a senior if she can recover from her injury.
Kohana Fontinha, Apponequet, Sophomore
Finished 15-3 overall and 9-2 in South Coast Conference matches as the team's No. 1 singles player. Earned SCC All-Star honors and is a good, all-around athlete who also competes in volleyball and track for the Lakers. Has all the tools, plays with a lot of passion and has worked hard to make herself a better player. Hits the ball hard and knows how to build shots, and win them, with a tremendous drop shot, and a solid short-volley game at the net.
Emma Gibney, New Bedford, Junior
Put together a 16-2 record at first singles on the way to being named a Southeast Conference All-Star. Hits the ball hard and her ground strokes were a strength all season. Puts a lot of pressure on opponents with her ability to hang tough and win long rallies. Was tough to beat when she got into the zone, and she did a great job playing with leads and finishing matches on a strong note. Coaches at Fairhaven Tennis Association summer camps.
TOP HONOR: Will to win drove this athlete to be our Boys Tennis Player of the Year
Doubles
Adeline Ablett, Junior, and Julia Caron, Junior, Dartmouth
Finished with a 13-4 record at first singles and earned Southeast Conference All-Star honors. Did a nice job communicating with each other and were very strong players at the net. Played with a lot of intelligence and excelled at ball placement. Won a lot of long rallies with good strokes on the baseline and put a lot of pressure on opponents with their accurate serves. Played well with leads and did a great job supporting each other.
Olivia Darmofal, Junior, and Abbey Lopes, Senior, Fairhaven
Combined for a 15-1 record at first doubles on the way to earning South Coast Conference All-Star honors. Dropped their only regular-season match to Bishop Stang's Julia Downey and Charlotte Sisson. Played with a lot of chemistry in their second season together. Both came back as more refined players who executed better and felt more comfortable with each other as the season progressed. Did a nice job complimenting each other's games.
HONORABLE MENTION
Elizabeth Ashley, Apponequet, Senior; Brynn McLaughlin, Apponequet, Sophomore; Holly Eyres, Bishop Stang, Junior; Lilly Manning, Bishop Stang, Junior; Nayan Bala, Dartmouth, Senior; Annica Dupre, Dartmouth, Freshman; Sabrina Chang, Fairhaven, Junior; Jalysa Noriega, New Bedford, Junior; Maria Oliveira, New Bedford, Junior; Fredi Gakidis, Senior; Evie Francis, Wareham, Sophomore; Makayla Young, Wareham, Junior
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 2023 Standard-Times Girls Tennis Super Team and All-Stars
