On October 11, 2012, thirteen women from West Hartford, Simsbury, Avon, and Farmington will board flights for Tucson, Arizona where they will be competing
for the USTA 3.0 Tennis National Championship title. Not bad for a team that
didn't even exist a year ago. The new team
of Servivors 3.0, captained by Cari Anne Goodwin and Jennifer King are Amy
Shiffman, Jennifer Wedeles, Patricia Curran, Christine Bennett, Tiffany
Stevens, Valerie Sorensen, Sheri Eklund, Margaret Chaves, Carrie
Downes-Cerrato, and Carrie Hammond.
Handily
winning their 2011/2012 Season, the Servivors were eligible to compete at
Districts, held indoors in Western Massachusetts in August. The team won three
matches over three grueling days to bring them to the semi-finals where they prevailed
again winning three of their five matches. Next, to the finals where they met up with a
team from right up the street: Simsmore Tennis Club. The Servivors were
triumphant with four out of five wins - moving them on to New England
Sections. The next morning brought a twist when it was deemed that Amy Branch
was automatically moved to the 3.5 level making her ineligible to play at
Sections and beyond.
Now playing outdoors at Sections, the
Servivors won both their first two matches, 4-1, only to find out that the
team from Rally Point Racquet Club in Greenville, R.I., had done the same. Cari Goodwin,
Jennifer King/Carrie Cerrato had won their matches, and the other two
lines were defeated. Meredith Crowther's singles match was still on the
court. She wanted to know if her singles match really mattered. Her teammates signaled
that they needed her to win her match for the team to go to Nationals. Meredith proved to be the hero of the
dramatic Sunday match-up, winning the decisive match at second singles, 4-6,
6-3, 1-0, to boost the Servivors to a 3-2 victory.
The USTA 3.0 Women’s division is
the largest tennis playing demographic in the country. There are 17 sections
across the USA, so the Servivors have already earned a ranking among the
top 17 teams in the United States. In Tucson, the Servivors will be representing all of New England
and will compete against 16 teams from across the USA, each are champions from their respective geographic
sections.
The Servivors, coached by Hartford
Golf Club Head Pro Keith Salmon, are working to get ready for their Tucson, Arizona outdoor competition October 12-14. Plane
reservations are made, husbands and baby sitters are at the ready and physical
and mental preparations are underway. Please
wish them well.
