The Essex girls won through to the national finals of the U12 girls county cup in emphatic style over this last weekend. The team was made up of Annali Ollivelle, Arabella Moen, Ahslie Hale, Eleanor Baglow and Abigail Michelow.
They were a bit of an excitable bunch, but really got down to business when it mattered. On the opening day we raced into 3-0 leads in both our matches versus Berks and Bucks making us the only team undefeated in singles. We then then won one and lost one doubles to mean we ended the day 7 matches to the good.
With Oxford as our first opponents on day two, despite the earliest start ever know in county cup competition (8.30am!) it soon became clear that it was going to come down to a Middlesex/Essex play show down to determine who would go through to the national finals.
For the final match, Annali, Arabella and Ashlie played the singles and all got off to a good start. The three of them won the close games and big points and all found themselves a set up. Our no.1 and no.2 showed their greater consistency is worth a lot as they defeated two physically bigger and stronger opponents 4-0, 4-0 to put us 2-0 up. Ashlie found herself in a battle and lost a long game to trail 1-3 in the 2nd set having won the first. However, she found some greater consistency on her serve and return and then continued to win the longer rallies once she got into them. Ashlie pulled it back and then played a great tie-break to seal the deal and Essex's place in the finals.
It really was a great team effort but I think a special mention should to go to Arabella who in 4 singles matches lost just one game! Thanks to all the girls for their efforts and support of each other and also of course to all the parents for all the, clapping, tea runs and packed lunches. Bolton here we come!
The final results were
Essex v Berks 3-1
Essex v Bucks 4-0
Essex v Oxford 4-0
Essex v Middlesex 4-0
Lynn O'Brien, Team Captain