It's difficult to look for positives when your team has lost five-straight matches. But somehow, Virginia finds ways to show optimism, despite dropping its sixth-in-a-row yesterday against Maryland, 6-1.
"It is one thing to play well and fight when you're getting results --- I think anyone can do that," Virginia coach Phil Rogers said. "It's when you go through a losing spell that it shows the character of your team."
The Terrapins won the doubles point after winning at No. 2 and No. 3. In what would be a common thread for the match, after doubles had been clinched, the remaining Cavaliers fought to win. After starting off strong, up 4-1 at No. 1 doubles, the Cavalier pair of Douglas Wink and Rachel DelPriore held on to defeat Terrapins Marianne Baker and Julia Graca 8-6.
No. 1 "was a match when we were cruising pretty well before the other team beared down and played good tennis," Rogers said. "At that point you can overreact or get threatened or get intimated, but I thought we kept our composure."
In singles, the Cavaliers frequently found themselves down breaks yesterday at Snyder, and when they managed to pull ahead, a Terrapin broke their own serve. After dropping quickly at No.s 1, 2, 4 and 5, and, with the dual match already decided in favor of Maryland, the other Cavaliers remained determined to win.
At No 3., DelPriore roared back to take the second set after narrowly losing the first set in a tiebreaker, much like she had done against UNC Sunday.
"I've had a few hauntings in the last week with set points and match points," DelPriore said. "It's been a huge relief to bounce back from the first set in the second set and stay positive."
In the third set super-breaker, DelPriore's opponent, Jennifer Dent, double-faulted to give the Cavaliers their lone point and DelPriore the win (7-6, 6-1, 10-8).
"Going out and not playing my best, squeaking by, is a better feeling than playing your absolute best and killing a girl," DelPriore said.
Meanwhile, at No. 6, a match of injuries, scoring disputes interrupted the play. Virginia's Caroline Hammond defended her baseline valiantly before falling in a third-set tiebreaker to Graca, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6).
"I've been really impressed with Caroline lately," DelPriore said. "She's been putting a lot into it."
Despite the loss, Rogers said the resilience of his team impressed him most.
"With these kids, it's one of my favorite seasons," Rogers said. "It's maybe the worst record we've ever had, but to see a girl still out there fighting when the sun's going down ---that makes it enjoyable."
The Virginia women resume action Saturday morning when Wake Forest comes to town. Predictably, the Cavaliers will come in with the hopes of putting the dismal season behind him. Eventually, perhaps, Rogers believes the positivism his players exude will translate to wins.
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