Experience Returns to Southampton, Hampton Bays Girls Tennis Teams

The Southampton girls tennis team boasts seven returning players, and head coach Richard “Juni” Wingfield said they’re still improving every day.

“Experience is the best teacher,” he said. “We are a team that’s working hard to get better. I’m happy to have a group of kids that I see evolving. They’re getting competitive.”

The Mariners are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in League IV this season. The girls bounced back from a 6-1 loss to William Floyd to sweep Hampton Bays, 7-0, before dropping a close 5-2 matchup to Riverhead on September 9.

“We had a lot of fun in the win over Hampton Bays, and we looked good,” Wingfield said. “We looked good against Riverhead, too. I felt good about that loss, because we had to pull up five junior varsity girls to even play that match on Saturday because we have a lot of older girls still finishing up their summer jobs. I would’ve picked up two points in doubles if I had those other players. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Captaining the team this year is senior Georgia Wilutis. Classmate London Bess also returned, along with juniors Riley Panza and Riley Voke, who all saw time in singles last season. Panza and Voke will also play doubles this year, along with freshman returner Sally De Los Santos, who played fourth singles last season. This year, Suffolk County has aligned itself with Nassau County and state formatting where each meet consists of three singles and four doubles matches.

“We have to get them to buy into doubles,” Wingfield said. “They don’t learn to volley. They’re afraid. They’re nervous. I’m trying to get kids to enjoy it, because a lot of them are not used to it.”

Also back are Bea Morfogen and Madeleine Astarita, who were pulled up from the junior varsity team last season. They will see time at second doubles, while Shaye Meaney and Bryne Thayer will compete at third doubles and Isabella Dunkirk and Sadie Chaleff will play at fourth.

“It doesn’t matter, necessarily, about the winning and the losing, but who they become at the end of the season,” Wingifield said. “It’s about going from can you to will you — can you will yourself to play a strong game.”

To help the girls learn how to play at their best, the coach said he has enlisted the help of local tennis professionals. While not normally allowed to use the tennis courts for lessons, Wingfield said he asked them to lighten up on the rules, having them bring their expertise to practices while being more lenient with them using the courts.

“We lightened up,” Wingfield said. “We bartered with them, and they’re giving and they’re giving.”

Hampton Bays

Hampton Bays head coach Tracey Carey also boasts returners — all but one of her 11 from last year’s team. She lost just Yamileth Veliz to graduation.

Junior All-League standout Iris Fernandes will be returning to her first singles slot.

“I’m looking forward to her continued success on the court,” Carey said.

Senior Sarah Ren, another of the Baymen’s top singles players, will captain the team with classmate Natalie Moranchal, who will see time at singles and doubles.

“She was the recipient of the League IV sportsmanship award for Hampton Bays,” Carey said of Moranchal. “Both Sarah and Natalie are leaders and role models to their teammates.”

Junior returners Meghan and Svetlana Datsyuk both bring consistent play, according to their coach, and All-League sophomore Melody Arabejo is back to help the Baymen contest at singles with “her exciting and energetic play,” Carey said.

Sophomores Sarah Herrara, Sara Daniela Rengifo Diaz, Mariana Aguero and Kiara Macias returned and will see time at doubles, and freshmen newcomers include Elisabett Alvarado Guzman, Clair Loesch, Sofia Montes, Charlotte Summar, Sofia Vaquero, Olivia Down and Mia Guzman.

“Thanks to middle school coach Megan Bishop, these girls have the foundations to be solid players in the Baymen tennis program,” Carey said. “The goals for our team are to be competitive in each match, maintain serve consistency and do our best to get to every ball. These girls are committed to this, and work hard at every practice to improve.”