Playing in the latest round of the under 18s Aegon County Cup, Dorset’s girls’ team fought off some tough opposition to stay in their group for another stage.
With a solid record in the County Cup, Dorset’s hopes of retaining their place in the group were high and thoughts of promotion were not too distant. The team travelled to the Tarka Tennis Centre, Barnstaple, for their matches in group 4a against Devon, Berkshire and West Scotland.
Dorset’s first challenge of the weekend was on the Friday morning against Berkshire, one of the favourites to get promoted from the group. The team were up against it from the first point of the first match as Berkshire came flying out of the blocks and took an early lead. Unfortunately for Dorset, by the time Danielle Sebata notched up the team’s first point with a 6-4, 6-0 win, the match’s outcome had already been decided after Berkshire took an unassailable 5-1 lead. Dorset didn’t fare any better in the doubles as their opponents continued their dominant display. The match finished 8-1 to Berkshire, leaving Dorset needing to regroup before their next match.
After the disappointment of the first match, Dorset put in a spirited performance against the other promotion hopefuls in the group, Devon, on the Saturday. The team’s battling qualities showed in the singles as they claimed a trio of thee-set victories thanks to Anna Battersby, Natalie Carter and Hannah Murphy. The scores were level at 3-3 going into the doubles and the team were in touching distance of the win after Battersby and Hannah Gamage won the first doubles rubber 6-2, 6-2 to out Dorset 4-3 up. But it was not to be their day as the opposition’s quality shone through in the remaining two rubbers. Devon claimed a narrow 5-4 win, meaning Dorset needed to win against West Scotland in their final match to keep their place in the group.
Despite the agonisingly close defeat against Devon, Dorset came out fighting on the Sunday morning against West Scotland. Four wins from the six singles matches, including another three-set epic from Murphy, meant the team needed just one win from the final three doubles rubbers to clinch the tie. Fortunately for the team’s finger nails and nerves, the vital win was delivered at the first time of asking as Battersby and Gamage successfully combined again for a 6-1, 6-4 win in the first doubles rubber. West Scotland played for pride in the final two rubbers and showed some of the ability with two wins to make the final score 5-4 to Dorset.
The team’s ability to perform under pressure proved vital in the final match and their fighting spirit against eventual group winners Devon in the second match showed that they can compete with some top teams in the competition. With strength and depth in the current squad of players, promotion could well be the target for Dorset’s girls in the next round of the Aegon County Cup.
Squad: Hannah Gamage, Hannah Murphy, Anna Battersby, Natalie Carter, Mille Smythe, Danielle Sebata, Mollie Parsons, Elle Baker.
Click Here for more information of group 4a of the u18s girls’ Aegon County Cup
By Harry Lund
