Oceanside nets eight straight

Behind a dominant group of singles players and some scrappy performances from its doubles tandems, Oceanside’s girls’ tennis team has enjoyed a perfect season so far with eight straight wins out of the gate.

“Nobody is handing us anything,” Lady Sailors coach Jamie Della Rocca said after a 6-1 victory at Hewlett on Oct. 2. “The scores don’t reflect how tight the matches have been,” she added. “We’ve had our share of three-set wins. We’ve had to earn everything.”

Oceanside returned eight seniors and three underclassmen from a team that competed in Nassau County’s top conference in 2012. It also added freshman Julieta Eulua, who plays No. 2 singles and boasts a record of 7-1.

“With all the experience we were bringing back, I expected to do well but maybe not as well as we’re doing,” Della Rocca said. “It’s great to see. All the girls are focused and playing well.”

Junior Mara Stewart has worked her way up the lineup since 2011 when she played third singles as a freshman. She played No. 1 and 2 last year against some of the best competition the county had to offer, Della Rocca said, and is benefiting from it. Stewart has yet to lose a set this fall. “Mara has a diverse arsenal,” Della Rocca said. “She knows when to rally and wear down an opponent, and she knows when to get aggressive and rip the ball.”

The coach said she’s been impressed by Eulua, who brings strong ground strokes and serving to the court. “Julieta is a consistent player and very composed,” she said.

At third singles, sophomore Montaine LeGoutil-Maier is coming into her own in her second year as a varsity starter. “She does a nice job of evaluating opponents and makes the necessary adjustments,” Della Rocca said.

None of Oceanside’s doubles teams returned intact, but each of the four new tandems is proving formidable. “They’ve all battled back to win after losing a set,” Della Rocca said. 

Senior Shannon Mullins and junior Jessica Schwarz comprise first doubles, senior captains Danielle Bloecker and Kelsey Bass are No. 2, senior Rebecca Herz and sophomore Sami Bloecker are No. 3, and seniors Sara Dauber and Maggie Poulos are No. 4. All have winning records, and Danielle Bloecker and Bass remain undefeated.

“It’s a close-knit team,” Della Rocca said. “They work hard and pull for each other. Everything about them is excellent.”