By Kim J. Harmon

It is called hitting a wall.

With a 10-1 record, it appeared as if the Newtown High School girls’ tennis team was making a beeline right for the South-West Conference team tournament. But the Lady Nighthawks – who have played so splendidly all year – hit a wall last week and lost four matches in a row.

It was a 5-2 loss to Lauralton Hall that got the ‘Hawks off on the wrong foot. What came next were losses to Brookfield (4-3), Pomperaug (4-3) and Joel Barlow (7-0) that dropped the staggering ‘Hawks to 10-5 on the year.

With the team championship out of reach, the ‘Hawks will now focus on the South-West Conference individual tournament which will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27 and 28, at Eisenhower Park in Milford (the home of the Lauralton Hall girls’ tennis team).

In the loss to Hall, Caroline Kunkel defeated Nikki Beel 7-5, 6-1 at No. 1 singles while Tara Ryan defeated Annie Van Tornhout 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. But Brittany Meier lost a tough 6-3, 6-3 match to Megan Cunningham at No. 2 singles and Michelle Serock lost an even tougher 7-5, 7-5 match to Meghan Kelly at No. 4 singles.

“It was an unbelievable match between Michelle and Meghan,” said head coach Jean Kunkel. “Two sophomores coming into the match unbeaten. It was picture perfect. But Michelle ran into a virtual rabbit who got to every ball. Michelle was amazing and she never counted herself out until the match concluded.”

Christina Andrews and Kim Allen suffered a 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) loss to Colleen Lynch and Katherine Gimbalvo at No. 1 doubles while Jill Tanner and Emily Fields took a 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 loss to Jen Schrader and Lindsay Trapp at No. 2 doubles. Stephanie Corleto and Sarah Salbu were edged 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 4-7 by Katie O’Brien and Sarah Van Dine at No. 3 doubles.

In the loss to Brookfield, Serock was once again the focal point, stuck in a marathon match with Alex Privelle at No. 4 singles. Nearly everyone had left and the victory hinged on what Serock and Privelle did, but it was Privelle who came away with a 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 0-6 win.

“Michelle is a tough competitor,” said coach Kunkel. “She had an intense, athletic match, but she was exhausted and her back hurt. It was getting dark and Michelle really had nothing left, but she went out there and battled for every point. We lost, but I have never been prouder of my girls.”

Kunkel dropped a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Emily Kiebtag at No. 1 singles, Meier lost a 6-4, 6-4 decision to Christine Strait at No. 2 singles, and Ryan dropped a 6-3, 6-3 decision to Katherine Privelle at No. 3 singles. Andrews and Allen grabbed a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 win over Marie Frei and Rachel Levine at No. 1 doubles, Tanner and Ashley Gabor earned a 6-1, 6-3 win over Amy Chew and Nicolette Bartolerea at No. 2 doubles, and Fields and Salbu grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 decision over Diane Burlhis and Trish Carreiro at No. 3 doubles.

In the loss to Pomperaug, the weary Nighthawks simply ran out of steam. Coach Kunkel said, “We really had a shot at them, but it was the day after the prom and the girls were tired.”

Kunkel lost a 6-4, 6-4 decision to Veronica Yestrumskas at No. 1 singles and Meier lost a 6-2, 6-3 decision to Kelly Palchik at No. 2 singles. Ryan, though, earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Lauren Faber at No. 3 singles and Serock collected a 6-4, 6-2 win over Carly Cluny at No. 4 singles.

Andrews and Allen rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles, but Tanner and Gabor suffered a tough 2-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7) loss to Kaitlyn Cates and Erika Jannetty at No. 2 doubles while Fields and Salbu suffered a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 loss to Ashlee DeRosa and Rachel Sepelak at No. 3 doubles.

“The girls played a great match,” coach Kunkel said of the contest at No. 2 doubles, “but I think it was too much pressure for a freshman (doubles) team to realize that they had the match in their hands.”

Although the ‘Hawks won some games against Joel Barlow on Monday in the regular season finale, the Lady Falcons – undefeated in the SWC – swept through the match. Tanner and Gabor had perhaps the closest match, going to a second set tiebreak against Brittany Shea and Amanda Tustion at No. 2 doubles before falling 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).