With a 4-3 win over Wake Forest on April 18, Syracuse snapped a three-game losing streak, but that wasn’t what impressed Amanda Rodgers most that day.

Three freshmen combined to win a singles and a doubles match in the Orange’s victory that day — a sign that they were flourishing due to an increase in playing time as the season progressed.

And Rodgers believes that the team will benefit from the growth of the freshmen moving forward.

“I think it puts a mark on next year,” she said. “Whoever stays, we’re going to have an amazing team. It just shows the character they have built throughout the season.”

Syracuse (5-15, 5-9 Atlantic Coast) had its season come to an end following its 4-1 loss to No. 42 Florida State on Thursday in the ACC tournament. But the talented freshman class, led by Rhiann Newborn and Valeria Salazar, poses a bright future for the Orange over the long haul.

Syracuse interim head coach Shelley George had the opportunity to guide this freshmen class, which has made strides every game.

“All season long they have been under fire because they had to step up in situations where upperclassmen were injured,” George said. “In every match, they have progressively gotten better. They believe in their game more.”

Newborn’s leadership skills were put to the test when George made a decision to pair her with freshmen Maria Avgerinos and Olivia Messineo at doubles this season.

Newborn and Avgerinos were a tandem for the majority of the season, and displayed their true character following a tough loss to the country’s No. 11 doubles team on North Carolina.

They were two freshmen playing like veterans, having built a 7-6 lead on the Tar Heels. But Newborn and Avgerinos were defending a resounding comeback from North Carolina’s Caroline Price and Whitney Kay, who were battle-tested and ultimately pounced on the inexperience of the Orange.

The two freshmen never showed through their body language that they weren’t capable of holding themselves accountable. Neither attempted to chide each other during that match, but instead realized that this would provide them with experience that would further benefit their careers.

“It’s going to help us a lot,” Newborn said following the loss to UNC. “ I feel that we are going to beat a lot of these good ACC doubles players we’re going to come up against. We’re going to keep fighting, keep working and staying positive.”

Salazar is another freshman who elevated her play as the season progressed. Known initially for her quiet personality, Salazar learned from doubles partner Maddie Kobelt how to bring passion to the sport. The duo earned crucial victories against ranked doubles opponents, most notably against Clemson on April 11.

Kobelt and Salazar dominated Clemson’s then-12th-ranked Yana Koroleva and Beatrice Gumulya en route to an 8-2 win.

It was this match where Salazar showed her transformation as a player by providing the energy that her coaches have wanted her to display since becoming a part of the program.

“I’m much more positive and feisty and have more energy,” she said. “When I got here, the coaches told me I had to be less mellow and be louder.”

As Syracuse looks to build a formidable program in the ACC, junior Komal Safdar recognizes the potential of the program moving forward.

She believes that the talented freshman class can ultimately use this season to propel the Orange to new heights in the nation over the next three years.

“Every one of them has improved as a competitor,” Safdar said. “The fact that we have so many freshmen shows our depth and our further potential.”

Published on April 29, 2014 at 1:30 am