Rambler Girls Roundup: Tennis Team Looks to Peak at Season's End

Loyola Academy's tennis coach Dave Bavlsik came into this season--his first after a stint away from coaching--with one mandate.

The girls’ who he coaches need to come to work. So far, so good.

“What has satisfied me the most this year is the tremendous work ethic and desire to improve that our girls have,” Bavlsik said in an e-mail to Patch. 

“Their sportsmanship has been excellent, and we are having a lot of  fun along the way," he wrote. "We need to improve on our depth of shots, variety of shots and comfort transitioning into the net and putting pressure on our opponents.”

So far that work ethic appears to be translating into success on the tennis court.

At the Loyola Invitational on Saturday, the Ramblers placed fifth, defeating Moline 3-2 and Wheaton Warrensvile South 3-2. They were bumped in the first round by eventual champion Hinsdale Central. But overall, the team has competed well with every team faced so far this season, according to Bavlsik.

Hinsdale Central is one of the state’s best teams and the first-round draw put the Ramblers in the back draw. Bavlsik also noted that he didn’t always have his best lineup during each game at the Loyola Invitational, as he was looking to develop the team so it could peak late in the season.

Last Friday, they beat Edwardsville in a dual match 3-2 and took second place in the 24-team field at the Bradshaw Memorial Tournament in Edwardsville.

Volleyball

The Ramblers' volleyball team had its lightest week of the season, playing only one match on Sept. 15 in a GCAC cross-over match against Gordon Tech. Loyola beat them handily.

On Tuesday night, the Ramblers played Glenbrook North in a match that head coach Jenny Morris was looking to with eager anticipation.

Some of the Ramblers are looking to play volleyball in college but none have made a choice in regards to a school. Several are deciding where to take official and unofficial visits.