Lewiston’s Abby Svor tosses a ball during a serve Saturday morning’ during her match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
LEWISTON — Anita Murphy has been at the helm of the Lewiston girls’ tennis team for 40 years, so one might think she has seen everything in her coaching career.
Well, 2018 was a first for Murphy as the top two singles players on her team are freshmen. She has had freshmen before that played in the number one or number two spots before, but has no not both spots filled in the same season by first-year players.
Amy Sarrazin, who played from 2000-2003, and Chantalle Lazertu, who played from 2006-2009, both were top-two singles players as freshmen.
Freshmen twin sisters Abby and Julia Svor have led the Blue Devils this season to 14-0 record, and they head to the Class A North regional final against Brunswick on Wednesday at Colby College in Waterville. (The regional finals were originally scheduled for Tuesday, but have been moved to Wednesday due to wet weather in Tuesday forecast.)
Murphy also runs the Lewiston Rec. Tennis program and always knows who’s coming up through the program and what kind of talent she will have at the high school level.
“I kind of had a feeling they would be one and two, because I was familiar with them,” Murphy said. “I have had them since they were 4 years old. They have been playing this winter and taking lessons. I had seen them play, so I knew. We started ladder matches (in the preseason) and they were winning the ladder matches.”
Before joining Murphy’s squad, the Svor sisters did have to make a choice because they grew up playing another spring sport, softball. But they prefer individual sports more than team sports.
“I just like going at my own pace. Like in singles, it’s just you and your opponent, it’s not another team,” Julia Svor said.
Abby made it her goal to be a singles player as a freshman.
“I definitely thought I belonged in the singles because I am not very good in doubles (tennis),” Abby Svor said. “I feel like it was great for the team.”
Playing recreation tennis last summer helped the transition to high school by helping them become accustomed to their future teammates.
The team has rallied around the sisters easily, which isn’t a surprise because the majority of the Blue Devils are underclassmen — eight of the nine starters are either freshmen or sophomores.
“I think it has worked out good,” sophomore Molly Chicoine said. “Abby and Julia are our one and two, they are great one and two. I don’t want anyone else playing — and Roslynn (Wailus) as our number three, she’s only a sophomore.”
Being so young has helped the Blue Devils gel together.
“We are so close, we just have fun, that’s all we do,” junior Jillian Pelletier said.
Despite the whole team being young, Murphy has the same expectations for this team as the previous 39 she has coached.
“I had high expectations, which I always do, but they have surprised me” Murphy said. “They don’t have that experience of playing this high school competition, which is really competitive. They have melded together, they really did. I am so proud of them.”
Murphy said this team had the potential for a deep playoff run when she started seeing the scores the Blue Devils were putting up. They have won 11 of their 14 matches this season by the score of 5-0. The other three were won 4-1.
Murphy thoughts were confirmed when they Lewiston played Camden Hills and Messalonskee in the regular season, two of the better teams in Class A North. The Blue Devils defeated Messalonskee on May 2, 4-1, and defeated Camden Hills 5-0 on May 14.
Winning has kept them motivated.
“We were on a winning streak, it felt nice,” Pelletier said. “We decided to keep working hard at practices and keep it up.”
They hope they can continue the success not only Wednesdaybut also for the next few seasons.
“I have three more years to grow, and our team is young and we have potential,” Abby Svor. “I think we will all go far.”
nfournier@sunjournal.com
Lewiston’s Roslynn Wailus follows through on a forehand during her match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Lewiston’s #2 singles player Julia Svor hits a forehand during Saturday morning’s match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Lewiston’s Abby Svor hits a backhand during Saturday morning’s match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Lewiston’s Roslynn Wailus hits a backhand during her match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)LLewiston’s #2 singles player Julia Svor hits a forehand during Saturday morning’s match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)Lewiston’s Abby Svor hits a backhand during Saturday morning’s match against Camden Hills. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)L
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