Wednesday, October 14, 2009

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

Two weeks after losing to Glen Rock in the regular season, Ramsey returned the favor with a 4-1 win in the North 1, Group 2 state sectional semifinals.

GLEN ROCK – When the Ramsey girls tennis team lost a pair of three-set matches in dropping a 3-2 decision to Glen Rock earlier in the season, it could have had a lingering effect. Instead, the Ramsey players used that loss as a motivational tool. The Rams ripped off six straight victories to get to Tuesday’s North 1, Group 2 state sectional semifinal where they clashed once again with Glen Rock. But this was not the same Ramsey team that they were just two weeks ago and they were excited to get another shot at Glen Rock with a section final berth on the line.

Ramsey reversed the decisions at first and second doubles with Jenny Fisher providing the clinching point to lift third-seeded Ramsey past second-seeded and previously undefeated Glen Rock, 4-1, at Ridgewood High School.

“We knew Glen Rock would be tough since they beat us already, but we felt this was a match we could win,” said Fisher. “I think the competition we’ve played in our league all year prepared us well for the big matches like this one.”

Ramsey dropped only four games in notching the first two points. Junior Kayla O’Neill was dominant in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at first singles. Ramsey’s Tabitha Larsen and Grace DiPaolo lost in three sets the first time they played Rachel Rubin and Sydney Myones for the clinching point of Glen Rock’s 3-2 win. This time, Larsen and DiPaolo broke early in each set and controlled the net in a 6-3, 6-1 verdict to give Ramsey a 2-0 lead.

Glen Rock's Brittany Kitchen returning a shot during her match at third singles.

With close matches going on at both second singles and second doubles, Fisher knew it was a possibility that Ramsey’s chances for advancing could come down to her match at third singles. Despite struggling early with gusts of wind and a pesky opponent in Glen Rock’s Brittany Kitchen, Fisher stayed with her game plan. She kept the ball deep in the court and attacked the net when she had the chance to end a point quickly. Fisher won the final three games of both the first and second sets to close out a Ramsey win with her 6-2, 6-2 triumph.

“(Kitchen) was hitting the ball a lot better than the first time we played and I knew this would be a tough match,” added Fisher. “The wind was a little hard to adjust to at the beginning, but I got used to it. (Kitchen) hit some really good shots today. I just tried to keep points going as long as I could. It feels really good to make the (North 1 Group 2) final and we’re going to give it our best shot.”

Ramsey also got a win at second doubles. Freshman twins Erin and Lorin Cangiano won six of the final seven games in a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory over Meredith Kind and Christina Maselli.

Glen Rock’s win at second singles came from Jen Berland and in exciting fashion. She saved three points in a second-set tiebreak, winning the final five points of a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) hard-fought victory over Jeanmarie Bundi.

The loss was the first of the season for Glen Rock, but it could not diminish the Panthers’ accomplishments during the best season in school history.

Ramsey will visit Pascack Hills in the sectional final on Thursday.

“It’s always tough to lose in the states, but we have had a great season and a ton to be proud of,” said Glen Rock head coach Bonnie Zimmerman. “We know what a tough section this is and our goal was to make it to this round. It would have been really nice to get to a section final. Ramsey played just a little bit better than we did today and they deserve to move on.”

The win was Ramsey’s sixth in a row and it set up a rematch with Pascack Hills for the North 1, Group 2 section title on Thursday in Montvale. The Rams won just 11 games in the five matches the first two times the teams played. However, the new and improved Rams are excited for the opportunity to see how they stack up the defending section champs.

“We have improved tremendously, especially with our doubles, and that showed today,” said Carol Carlson. “We have made huge strides from where we were early in the season. Today we beat a solid team, and one that already beat us this season. Now we get Pascack Hills, which is a very good team and also someone who beat us this season. We know what a tough task it will be to beat them. But we are playing really well right now and we have absolutely nothing to lose.”

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