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Published: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 / Updated: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 07:09 PM

Senior racked up 12 straight wins for formidable Falcons squad

FORT MILL -- 

The Nation Ford High School tennis team is once again in the hunt for a Region championship and hopes to make the late run into the playoffs that escaped the Lady Falcons a year ago.

They are 12-2 on the season and have a lineup that's mostly intact from last year's Region championship squad that made an unexpected early exit from the postseason. Leading the way is senior Sarah Tourville, who plays the number four singles position and was undefeated until a recent loss against Clover. Tourville is 13-1 (7-1 in the region) heading into this week.

Tourville, who is 24-5 over the last two seasons, has anchored the team and is gaining confidence and piling up the wins. Tourville makes a list before matches of how she wants them to end. Most of the time they end exactly how she scripted it.

“Last year I had a good enough skill level to beat someone, but my mental approach had to change,” Tourville said. “The match wouldn't go the way that I wanted it to and I would lose to people that I should have beaten. Mentally I have improved from last year and I have been a lot more consistent especially with my ground strokes.”

The results are evident as Tourville climbed the state rankings and become more of a leader for the Lady Falcons.

“She is one of our more consistent players. Her ground strokes have improved steadily and she has gained confidence in all of her shots,” said Nation Ford Head Coach Matthew Rohring. “Sarah is playing her level of tennis and not stepping down her game to the level of competition she is playing.”

Tourville trains relentlessly in the off season, spending up to six hours a day practicing in the summer and attending clinics, camps and taking private lessons. Her game has improved every year since coming to Nation Ford, which is only in its third year of existence.

“Sarah came to me as a complete beginner tennis player our first practice over three years ago as a rising sophomore. I knew she was athletic and knew she was competitive, but I did not know that she would work as hard as she has to become such an excellent player,” Rohring said. “I'm really proud of her for all she's accomplished in her short tennis career.”

The Lady Falcons have a tight bond and many are friends on and off the court. They cheer for teammates whether ahead or behind and have been dominant in the Region because of it. The goal for the season is to win the Region, which is almost wrapped up, and make a longer run in the playoffs.

“We are a team that is really close and I think that helps us be successful,” Tourville said. “Tennis is unique because it is an individual sport that requires teamwork. I try to work as hard as I can and help teammates as much as possible.”

The Lady Falcons will go as far as Tourville and her talented underclassmen can take them. As a senior, she wants to establish a winning tradition that can be built upon for the future.

As r as that goes, USC-Lancaster made a scholarship offer to Tourville that she's still considering. She said she's leaning toward attending a bigger school, such as Clemson, but keep playing recreational tennis.

Either way, she has left a lasting impact on the Lady Falcons' program – and especially coach Rohring.

“Each year Sarah has improved exponentially and it's because of the work she has put in and it's a testament to her parents also as they have encouraged Sarah to be the best she can be,” Rohring said. “To see how far her mental game has come is almost impossible to believe. She has worked hard to become a smart player and this has obviously shown this season.”