Frank Speziale Photo

BINGHAMTON – After a stellar week where Norwich earned four wins in four school days, it was the weekend and a Monday that did in the mighty Purple Tornado tennis team, losing to Chenango Valley at 5-2.
“The overall theme, today, we have played five matches in five school days. We were run down, although some scores showed that we were flat, in some of those real tight critical matches… it was 90 degrees outside,” said Norwich head coach John Stewart. “I think we just ran out of steam a little. Not having Olivia there made it a lot more challenging of course, but I think we held up pretty well. (Chenango) Forks has got five or six seniors in their lineup. We knew going in that there were key positions. I look forward to the Thursday match. If we can recover and stay healthy, the weather is going to be a little cooler.”
Norwich was forced to forfeit the third singles spot – due to an illness to their student-athlete. Fighting from an 0-1 position, the Tornado failed to find a rhythm on Monday, September 25, as only the first and second doubles for Norwich earned wins.
“We knew the points were going to have to come in from second singles to second doubles. Our third doubles had a ton of deuce points, it was a closer match than the score really reveals,” said coach Stewart of Megan Burke’s loss for Norwich. “One and three were not going to go our way, but we took two out of three doubles, that’s good. That is a good night. We just couldn’t take anything from the singles. You can see that Megan had a really great first set, she had set point in the first set. She was up 5-4, deuce, and the girl took it from her. I think if she takes that, it is a different look from the other side of the net.”
Burke, was in a dogfight at second singles, ultimately losing to Chenango Forks Hannah Benscoter, at 7-6(7-3), 6-1.
Norwich’s top singles player, Caroline Stewart, fell in a big way to the Blue Devils, Cassandra Pinataro, getting blanked at 6-0 and 6-0.
“Caroline played one of the better girls in the state,” said coach Stewart of the talent from Pinataro.
With the ensuing forfeit at third singles – fourth singles, Ava Granquist of Norwich, dropped the final singles match to Chenango Forks Gianna Rullo, at 6-1 and 6-4.
Catie Lally and Katie Zimmerman earned Chenango Forks final – fifth team point – when they defeated Norwich’s Erica Gage and Logan Fredenburg at 6-1 and 6-2 for third doubles.
Norwich’s two wins on the evening came at first and second doubles – avoiding the shutout after a week of going 4-0.
Natalie Benenati and Riley Marsh defeated Jordan Meeker and Sarah Simonis at 6-2 and 6-4 for first singles – before Katie Gawronski and Parker Walsh downed Sydney Fendick and Violetta Maystruk at 6-2 and 6-3.
Next up for Norwich tennis (8-2 overall), they will be re-matching Seton Catholic at home on Wednesday, September 27, at 4 p.m.
Notably, Norwich’s first defeat of the season came at the hands of the Seton Catholic Saints (9-0 overall, 8-0 league).
Thursday, September 28, marks the end of the regular season for Norwich tennis, as they will hold their senior night celebrations that day. The ceremony will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. for Norwich’s two seniors, Caroline Stewart and Meagan Burke.