Ocean City Tennis Cruises to Second Straight Shutout

Gabrielle DuBrille knows that tennis is sometimes a mental game, as much as it is physical.

The Ocean City High School tennis player prepared for that part of the game ever since she found out she would be playing first singles this season after playing first doubles in 2010.

There is no longer a playing partner to pick her up. On Monday, she did it all on her own, as the Red Raiders swept host Absegami, 5-0.

Ocean City's top player seemed on her way to a relatively easy straight set win, up 5-2, in the first set. However, Absegami sophomore Brianna Nguyen didn't go away quietly, tying the first set at 6-6.

DuBrille regained her composure to hold of Nguyen, and win the tiebreaker, 7-3. She ultimately won the second set, 6-2, but overall the match took almost two and a half hours to complete.

"I did get a little frustrated because I was losing," DuBrille admitted. "And I knew I could have won the next game and made it 6-2. Once it got to 6-6, I decided to keep my head in the game. When the second set came, I was happy I won the first set, so I fed off that."

Despite being a sophomore, Nguyen is a much more experienced singles player than DuBrille, but experience is only part of the battle.

"She was very consistent," DuBrille said of her opponent. “I had to be patient and wait for shots I can hit winners off of."

The rest of the Red Raiders cruised to straight set wins. Aida Pleho won her second singles match over Alyssa Brady, 6-2, 6-1.

Carling Mott won 6-2, 6-3 over Laura Nastasi at third singles to help clinch Ocean City's second straight win to start the season. The Red Raiders defeated Hammonton in the season-opener.

Lauren Loggi and Leah Kornberg won their first doubles match, 6-2, and 6-1. Heather Mazzeo and Eva Nusbaum won 6-1, 6-3, at second doubles.

"I felt we have come out strong," Ocean City coach Sam Newgas said.

Ocean City has yet to be challenged in the early going, but that may change in the near future with Millville, Vineland and Mainland coming up on the schedule.

The Red Raiders host Millville at 4 p.m. on Wednesday before traveling to face Vineland at the same time on Friday. Ocean City takes on rival Mainland on Sept. 19 at 4 p.m.

"We have the three toughest teams coming up," Newgas said. "It's nice playing the three toughest teams because it gets you in the right mindset."