Off-season play means in-season rewards for Maltby

As good as Glenbard West's Meredith Maltby was last year, she's actually raised her level of play a couple of notches in her junior season.

"After winning twice at state, Maltby increased her off-season tournament play and because of this she's taken huge steps forward," said Hilltoppers coach Jim Valleskey, the long-time boys coach who took the reins of the girls team this year. "She participated in numerous tournaments in both the 16- and 18-year-old divisions, so she's been playing against the best players around."

Her 43-26 record in tournament play has resulted in Maltby earning a No. 54 district ranking, according to Valleskey.

Maltby is determined to make this a better high school season, and she's gotten off to a fast start with an 11-3 record overall and 4-0 in conference. She was to face a big test against Hinsdale Central on Tuesday night.

'"Meredith has added more dimensions to her game," Valleskey said. "She's made her serve more of a weapon with more power and better locations. And her net game has improved. She has better touch and a variety of shots around the net."

Valleskey praised Maltby for her work ethic, her ability to focus and her determination to improve.

"She's a coach's dream," he said. "She does whatever you ask her to do. And she treats every match just the same, whether it's tough or easy. She gets the job done and she always shows tremendous sportsmanship and support for her teammates."

In addition to Maltby, the Hilltoppers feature returning state qualifiers at first doubles Samantha Reedy and Molly Hennessy, second doubles Maddie Morris and Hannah Foth, plus formidable singles players Carolina Coviella and Aly Casolino.

"Reedy and Hennessy have been tested early and they've answered the test," Valleskey said. "They've lost only once and they have some big wins in close matches. They have a talent for finding a way to fight back from adversity."

Trash talk misfired: If you're an opposing player, you don't want to "dis" St. Francis senior Tara Cunningham.

Cunningham and her doubles partner Kristina Uelsman were trailing in the first set of a recent match when Cunningham heard this from the other side of the net.

"Hit the ball to the girl at the net, she's not very good."

"Wait a minute," Cunningham thought. "I'm the girl at the net."

That was all the Spartans' four-year veteran needed to hear.

Cunningham and Uelsman immediately turned the match around and went home with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

"Those girls found out what we've always known," said St. Francis coach Marcia Bussey. "Tara loves the net. It's one of the strengths of her game. But that day she and Kristina were motivated to play with extra energy and determination. And they really dominated the match after that slip of the tongue."

The duo seems to get better when the pressure's on.

Last week they won a third-set tiebreaker for the deciding point in the Spartans' 4-3 win over St. Charles East.

Good and getting better: Kamile Stadalninkaite of Naperville North is a great athlete with a tennis game that's getting better each week.

The Huskies senior first singles has made great strides this year, but there's potential for so much more.

"Kamile is fast, she's strong, she puts a ton of spin on the ball," said Naperville North coach Heather Henricksen. "She has great groundstrokes and she really can cover the court. When her tennis game catches up to her natural ability to the point that she can build confidence and trust herself, she can be a great player."

Henricksen said that Stadalninkaite has improved radically from last year.

According to the coach, the sophomore has added a little more power and she's thinking better on the court. She still needs work on closing out a match

"She can catch up when she's behind," said Henricksen. "But once she gets back in it she has to finish the job. She lets down a little when she catches up."

Henricksen reports that Stadalninkaite has also become a good doubles player who's unstoppable when she closes on the net.

In fact doubles may be her quickest path to qualifying for state this year.