Valley tennis uses 5-court strength to pursue playoff goals

By: George Guido
Monday, September 6, 2021 | 10:14 PM

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Even with all seven of her starters back from last season’s second-place team and the section alignment staying the same, Valley tennis coach Rachael Link is taking no chances.

“After finishing second in an extremely competitive section last year, we aren’t taking anything for granted,” the 13th-year coach said. “During our practices, the caliber of our team is strengthened against each other in preparation for match play.”

Valley finished the Section 1-2A season at 6-1, with the only loss to champion Mt. Pleasant.

The Vikings went on to lose to eventual Class 2A runner-up Sewickley Academy in the team quarterfinals.

This year’s team is looking for strength in all sectors.

“Where we thrive is that we are solid on all five courts, and the ladies embrace the philosophy that one court is not more important than the other,” Link said. “In order to succeed in our section, we must be fierce, intelligent and confident on all five courts.”

Leading the way will be senior Eden Richey.

She went to the section finals last season before losing to Mt. Pleasant’s Mary Smithnosky. In doubles, Richey and Rachel Schrock lost in the finals to Smithnosky and Hannah Brown.

“I think our ultimate goal is to win the section. We came so close last year,” Richey said. “It was a 2-3 match. We’ve been working hard in the offseason this year. We hit together on the weekends during the summer, and we really want to come first in the section.”

Said Link: “Eden will lead our team at No. 1 singles with co-captain Rachel Schrock at No. 2. Their passion inspires their teammates and brings levels of diligence, personal responsibility and court integrity that I’m so proud of.”

In 2019, the doubles team of Richey and Aimee Johnson made the section semifinals. But the solid career of Richey almost never happened. She took up the sport later than many of her contemporaries.

“I actually went to a few of our coach Link’s middle school clinics in seventh and eighth grade, but I started seriously playing in my freshman year. I never thought of playing tennis ‘til then,” Richey said. “My parents told me about the clinics, and coach Link is awesome. She’s great.”

Junior Elisabeth Ervin will anchor the third singles slot.

Said Link: “Our expectation is to qualify for the WPIAL team playoffs and that will, indeed, be an uphill battle. We have stellar programs within our section like Mt. Pleasant, Burrell, Southmoreland and Greensburg Central Catholic. We give respect to the caliber of their programs.”

The Vikings also are anticipating a strong contribution from the doubles teams of juniors Brinley Hegeus and Marissa Barca, along with the tandem of seniors Brinley O’ Sullivan and Adrianna Vagnier.

Valley was 3-0 heading into a scheduled section match Thursday at Riverview.

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