Telepathic teens lead Clippers

Most tennis doubles partners yell out, “Switch!” when it’s time for them to trade places on the court, but not Jenna Babcock and Chelsea Quinn. These two longtime friends don’t have to talk. They prefer non-verbal communication, and it seems to work for them.


The two seniors, who make up the Southold/Greenport/Shelter Island Clippers’ first doubles team, say they know each other so well that they can complete each other’s sentences and communicate on the court without talking.


“It’s twin telepathy, man,” Quinn said. “We’re best friends. We can read each other’s minds.”


With communication like that, is it any wonder that Babcock and Quinn make for a winning duo? Last season they went 9-3 in first and second doubles. 


This year they are the clear-cut choice for first doubles. Their fourth win in five matches led a sweep of three doubles matches by the Clippers in a 5-2 victory over the Hampton Bays Baymen in Peconic on Monday. Singles wins by Islander Katie Siller and by Sarah Stromski nailed down the Clippers’ triumph in the Suffolk County League VIII contest, which was played on courts at Jean W. Cochran Park and Robert W. Tasker Park.


After playing four matches in as many days last week, Babcock and Quinn appeared to benefit from three days of rest prior to Monday’s match. They breezed past seniors Hope Bros-nan and Liz Ouellette, 6-0, 6-2.


In some ways, the dark-haired Babcock and the blonde Quinn are opposites. Babcock is quiet; Quinn is outgoing. Babcock tends to defend the baseline; Quinn attacks the net. Together, though, they form a winning balance and bring a quiet intensity to the court.


“They win a lot of games,” Clippers Coach Allison Krupski said. “One of the main things is they’re very close friends. They’re used to each other’s playing styles.”


The two, who have known each other since they were in kindergarten, say playing alongside their best friend helps their game.


“It works,” Babcock said. “We get along on the court. It’s just a lot easier to work with someone that you get along with.”


Babcock and Quinn, who captains the team along with Siller and Jessica Orlando, attended a tennis camp together a week before the start of preseason practice to better prepare for their final high school season. Their coach noticed a difference in the two of them since last fall.


“They came out a lot stronger this year, more aggressive, ready to play,” Krupski said. “They support one another. They rely on one another.”


The Clippers were holding a 3-2 lead before Siller and Stromski won their matches. Siller, playing second singles, brought her season record to 4-1. She gained momentum from a second-set tiebreaker, and defeated Davie Romer, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, clinching the result for the Clippers.


Baymen Coach Rodney Way said he feared that Romer “lost steam when she lost that tiebreaker.”


Siller said she was unaware of the team score at the time and the significance it placed on her match. “I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t know that,” she said, smiling.


Stromski also prevailed in three sets, holding off her fourth singles opponent, Anna Blydenburgh, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.


The second and third doubles matches both went the Clippers’ way as well. Lisa Kaasik of Shelter Island and Emily Matthaei beat Abby Kraycar and Lulu Zhou, 6-2, 6-1. Meanwhile, the pairing of Lizzie Anderson and Laura Campo recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win over Daniela Gutirrez and Chessa Sheppard.


Hampton Bays (1-4, 1-4) picked up its two points from first and third singles. Tarrin Joslin, who is in her third year as the Baymen’s No. 1 singles player, recorded 18 service aces against one double fault in her 6-0, 6-1 win over Clara Schmidt. Joslin outpointed her opponent, 51-16. In addition, Joslin put 71 percent of her first serves in play in addition to all nine of her second serves.


In the other singles match, Maegan Johnston downed Orlando, 6-3, 6-2.


Asked how her team had played, Babcock replied, “Amazing.”


Quinn might have been thinking precisely the same thing.