Senior Lyndsay Werkema and junior Mandy Ehrlich dominated and didn’t lose a game at 1 doubles in their first match together this season. Not only was it their first time playing with each other, but it was Mandy’s first match as well because of injury.

“It was a great feeling getting back on the court,” Mandy said. “I was very eager and excited to play with Lyndsay at 1 doubles and eventually win our match.”

While no other flight won 6-0 twice, the rest of the doubles flights only lost four games all together in the two sets. Two of these flights were 3 doubles, consisting of senior Emily Benson and junior Andrea Wang, as well as sophomores Olivia Hooper and Emily Johnson at 4 doubles. What made this more impressive was the fact that the two flights had Emily Johnson and Andrea playing in them, who are both usually singles players. 

“I never really play doubles,” Andrea said. “I did enjoy playing doubles for a match, though, because it’s a nice twist from playing singles every day.”

However, this wasn’t the only switch in the line-up; due to multiple singles players converting to doubles for different reasons this dual, two doubles players competed in the singles line-up: junior Courtney Fox at 2 singles, and junior Isabella Notarnicola at 3 singles. Both of the girls would go on to win handily in two sets like the other five Ranger flights that won.

“Both Courtney and Isabella played great in their singles matches,” Emily Johnson said. “I know it was different for them and different for me; I had to change my strategy playing doubles, but it was really fun playing with Olivia.”

“I think the switch in the line-up gave the girls some different variety,” head coach Dan Bolhouse said. ”We’ve already switched the line-up some this year because of injuries, so that was partly the reason behind it, but it also gave some girls a chance to play in spots they typically wouldn’t; I think that was fun for some of them.”

The switch in the line-up, although it was just for one dual, was a successful change. Every flight that got altered ended up winning, and playing this well gave the girls more confidence going into maybe the hardest match of the year against Forest Hills Northern.

“It was a great start to the conference season,” Mandy said, “but we have a lot of work to do if we want to compete with a really good Northen team.”

The Rangers’ conference record is now 1-0 and they play Forest Hills Northern on Wednesday on the road. This dual will be the most difficult of the season because Northern is notoriously known for finishing in the top five at States every year.  

“Looking back on the season, we’ve had a really tough schedule, and it will get harder tomorrow,” Bolhouse said. “We just need to have momentum going into Conferences, then Regionals, then States; I think we will, and we’re in line to [have success] if we keep playing like we did today.”