EMORY, Va. – The spring 2020 season of intercollegiate athletics is one that most certainly will be remembered. Unfortunately, it will not be the excitement of competition, the camaraderie between teammates that leads to lifelong friendships or the pride which comes from representing one's school that will be remembered. The memory will be that the season was cut short. Cut short by a thing so small, but one that has made a huge impact on our world as we know it.
The Emory & Henry College Department of Athletics will take pause over the next four weeks to reflect on these uncompleted spring seasons and look at what was, what might have been and what will be going forward. Some sports were in the middle of their seasons on Friday, March 13 when play was suspended. Others had barely gotten started.
Today, we begin our review with Women's Tennis.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Christine Johnston, and assisted by Emily (Henderson) Tortora, the Wasps managed a 2-4 overall record and were 0-3 in their first Old Dominion Athletic Conference matches. The nine-woman squad, consisting of two sophomores and seven freshmen, was undoubtedly one of – if not the – youngest in the country. This youth, however, was not a weakness but an opportunity to lay a groundwork for E&H women's tennis for the years to come.
RELATED - ODAC Women's Tennis Spring Wrap-Up
"Although our spring season was cut short, our women's team was definitely headed in the right direction to achieve our goals for the year," commented Johnston. "As a very young team, they proved early in the year that they have a lot of potential and have bought into what our program believes in and what it will take to get us to the next level."
College tennis is one of a handful of sports with a split season. That is to say, there is a fall season and a spring season, both of which count as official on the schedule. The Wasps opened the year with a 5-4 loss to Maryville (Tenn.) College. Four freshmen made their debut for E&H that day, and the outcome of the match hung in the balance until the closing moments. After dropping a match to perennial ODAC juggernaut and No. 23 nationally-ranked Washington and Lee University, Emory & Henry made what would end up being its biggest step forward for the year.
RELATED - 2019-20 Schedule
Over the last weekend in September, two E&H players traveled to Mount Berry, Georgia for the ITA South Region Championship. It was the first time since the fall of 2015, that the Wasps have entered the elite fall tournament. Both freshman Payton Holt (Mount Ulla, N.C.) and sophomore Logan Graham (Radford, Va.) impressed, showing the direction of the program.
Holt reached the semifinals of the B2 Singles Draw, her run cut short in a tiebreak. Graham picked up a win in the opening round of the C Singles Flight, losing a hard-fought quarterfinal match. The duo paired up for the B Doubles Flight, concluding their weekend with a pair of matches against tough regional competition.
"While this season was cut short, I still loved getting to compete with my Wasps," said Holt. "We had a very young team this year so, I am extremely excited to put in some work this off-season and see what all we can accomplish together next year!"
Returning to dual match action, Emory & Henry earned a convincing 8-1 win at Johnson University to close out the fall. The spring saw the Wasps continue their momentum, earning a 9-0 exhibition win at Spartanburg Methodist College and blanking William Peace University at home, 9-0.
E&H made its trip to Eastern Virginia to face Virginia Wesleyan University and Randolph-Macon College. The Marlins earned an 8-1 win while the Yellow Jackets grabbed a 9-0 victory in what would be the last match of the season.
RELATED - 2019-20 Statistics
Holt led the way with a 5-4 overall record, going 3-3 at the No. 1 singles flight as a freshman. Graham won four matches, including three at the No. 2 flight, while freshman Chrissy Rukeyser (Knoxville, Tenn.) posted a 4-2 record. In doubles action, Holt and Rukeyser won two matches at No. 1 while Graham and sophomore Cailie Pollard (Rural Retreat, Va.) added a pair of victories at No. 2. The team combined for three wins at No. 3 doubles, with freshmen Haley Hammonds (Norton, Va.) and Sarah Marion (Dobson, N.C.) accounting for two.
"The moment I first stepped onto the court at Emory & Henry, I knew I had become a part of a family," reflected Marion. "I'm proud to be part of a team that is full of positivity and lifts each other up. This year was full of smiles and laughter. I love that we are a young team because I can't wait to watch us grow on and off the court and make more memories together over the next few years."
While the season still had 14 matches left to be played, it is evident to Johnston that a strong foundation is in place. "I am very excited to see what this group can accomplish in the next couple of years," she added.
---E&H---