Salem's returning players include (from left) Ashley Davis, Kerry MacDonald, Allie Carpenter, Anna Norman, Morgan Spencer, Rachel Norman and Mallory Rojo.

Many Happy Returns

Familiarity should breed success
for Salem girls tennis team

BY ED WRIGHT
March 28, 2010, 11:25 p.m.

  Opponents of Salem's girls tennis team are going to look over the net this spring and, on more occasions than not, think to themselves, "Hey, they look familiar."

  That because the Rocks' varsity roster has changed about as gradually as a glacier moves: not much.

  Nine key netters are back for coach Lin Ware's squad that finished with a more-than-respectable 6-4 dual-meet record in the always-tough KLAA Central Division.

  Salem's 2009 starting line-up's lone loss to graduation was Linda Ling.

  "I wouldn't call any one player we have as a key player because they're all important to our success," said Ware, whose team's only division setbacks last spring came to league juggernauts Northville and Novi (two each). "If we play like we're capable of playing, we can play with every team in our division."

  The Rocks' multi-talented singles contingent will be led by No. 1 singles player Allie Carpenter, a senior with one year already under her belt as the top player.

  "Allie's a big hitter who has a lot of power," said Ware. "That, along with her experience, make her tough to beat."

  Handling the No. 2 singles duties will be Anna Norman, a sophomore who played doubles last spring. Another sophomore, Morgan Spencer, is currently at No. 3, while junior Kerry MacDonald, an outstanding volleyball player, won a challenge to earn the No. 4 spot.

  The Rocks' top doubles team will consist of seniors Rachel Norman, a three-year letter winner on Salem's highly successful basketball teams, and Ashley Davis, who played doubles as a junior.

  "Ashley has worked hard and taken a lot of lessons during the off-season and has really improved her game," said Ware.

  Alex Lamb and freshman Ashley Walker are at No. 2 doubles while juniors Mallory Rojo -- a starter last year as a sophomore -- and junior Olivia Gonzalez will serve as the Rocks' No. 3 duo.

  The Rocks' fourth and fifth doubles tandems are still up for grabs, Ware noted.

  The Rocks opened their season with a first-place showing at the all-doubles "Midnite Madness Tournament" held earlier this month at the Huron Valley Tennis Club.

  Salem earned 15 points in the round-robin indoor event. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard finished second with 12 points, Canton was third with nine points and Plymouth was fourth with six.

  The tournament started at 8 p.m. and finished at 1:30 a.m. the following morning.

  The Rocks' gold-medal teams were Anna Norman-Morgan Spencer (No. 2 doubles) and Ashley Davis-Rachel Norman (No. 3 doubles).

  Four doubles teams earned silver medals: Allie Carpenter-Kerry MacDonald (No. 1 doubles), Alex Lamb-Ashley Walker (No. 4 doubles), Bansari Patel-Ewa Zajac (No. 6 doubles) and Emily Simmons-Lindsay Spaulding (No. 7 doubles).