By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
The MedTen girls are primed for the upcoming tennis season, armed with determination, talent, and excellent team chemistry. Under the guidance of head coach Beth Eby, the team has commenced their preseason preparations and kicked off their campaign against Ashland High on Tuesday, April 2.
Despite facing adversity, including an early injury to their third singles player, the Warriors delivered an outstanding 12-4 performance during the 2022-2023 season. Their resilience propelled them to secure second place in the TVL, instilling confidence and fortitude within the team.
Heading into the new season, Coach Eby is enthusiastic about the return of three captains who will spearhead the team's leadership: senior captains Mary Palladino and Stella Tomayko, alongside junior captain Katie Keating. Each captain will foster team cohesion both on and off the courts, embodying the team's ethos that emphasizes collective effort over individual prowess: “We are a team, we support each other, we work together, and everybody on the court plays with everyone else,” said Eby.
Since the beginning of Eby’s time as head coach for the MedTen girls, the team has gone through each season living by the motto that came naturally to the team, “Warriors Will”. This mindset focuses the girls on doing the best they can do on the court and also cherishing their great sportsmanship: “When we get into a little huddle before or after a match, win or lose, our thing is ‘Warriors Will’… It wasn’t just ‘Warriors’, it was ‘Warriors Will’ and I think that is our motto. And one of the things that means the most to me is the fact that we will be good sports, we will be nice, we will be friendly. Whether we win or lose, we will try, we will do a lot of different things, and we will be the best we can be,” said Eby.
As the reigning second-place team in the TVL from last season, the girls are determined to maintain their success and make a deep postseason run. Achieving this goal will require significant effort, but Coach Eby prioritizes enjoyment alongside hard work and anticipates the growth of each player in the weeks ahead.
Come cheer on your MedTen girls in their matchups against Dover-Sherborn on May 6 at 4 PM. Other great matches to see will be against Hopkinton and Westwood. To learn more about the Medfield girls’ tennis schedule, please visit: www.arbiterlive.com/Teams/Schedule/9657812
