Massachusetts League Team Gives New England Second National Title of 2021

SURPRISE, AZ - It takes a special group to win a National Championship. Beyond having on-court talent, a championship-worthy team requires a selfless, supportive and dedicated core in order to navigate even the most challenging circumstances. 

Last weekend, Carolynn Crabtree’s nine “Sense-ace-tional Ladies,” the Adult 18 & Over 4.0 Women’s team out of Winchester Indoor Lawn Tennis Center in Winchester, MA, developed an instant connection strong enough to conquer the ultimate feat in USTA League Tennis.  

“This season was sort of haphazard, and not everyone knew each other well before Nationals, but as soon as we crammed into our rental cars, the chemistry started to kick off,” Crabtree said. “We have a lot of jokers on the team, so the casual teasing turned into a natural bond. We made an immediate investment in each other, which is incredibly rare.” 

From October 14-17, the ladies lived, ate, practiced, and spent nearly every hour of every day together near the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex. It was in large part to the trust they gained in one another that helped them rack off six consecutive victories en route to claiming the first National Championship for Winchester Indoor Tennis.

“Choosing to live in a house together was key. It was truly like a family the whole time with multiple generations on the team and all of us playing our normal daily roles, from cooking and cleaning to problem solving,” Crabtree said. “While my name was listed as captain, the whole team really functioned as a captain. We never had a disagreement and we all decided on everything together. We felt so confident in every player, there was no need to change up the lineup or partnerships.”

Pam Jeppson handled No. 1 singles throughout the weekend for New England, while sisters Marybeth and Michelle Liang alternated at the No. 2 singles position. Combined, the three finished 12-0, including wins in the semifinals and finals. 

“It was such a relief having those ladies at singles. They are so devoted to their craft, and we felt they were focused all weekend. They took the pressure off the rest of us, so we were able to swing loose during our matches,” Crabtree said. 

The duo of Caitlin Blasco and Masha Papadopoulos also rose to the occasion, finishing 6-0 themselves from the No. 3 doubles spot. Crabtree and partner Alison Wilson locked down the first doubles position, finishing 5-1, with their lone defeat coming after the team had already clinched the match. Lauren Crowley and Sara Dolan handled No. 2 dubs for five of the team’s six matches. The pair ended with a 3-2 overall mark.

New England defeated teams from USTA Hawaii, Northern, Mid-Atlantic and Southwest on their way to a semifinal showdown with unbeaten Southern.