When Sarah Gealer stepped on the campus in the fall, she was the youngest member of the Terrapins tennis team. Eight months later, she is the second most experienced active member.
Such flux has become par for the course on a Terps squad that only has two players remaining from last season. With one of those players — junior Welma Luus — out for the year with a torn labrum, Gealer calls herself a “second-semester veteran.”
“In fall, in general, she was a freshman,” coach Daria Panova said. “Right now, she’s a much better player. She’s more mature. She’s very responsible. She helps out her teammates. It’s completely two different Sarahs right now.”
If Gealer was still playing like she was in the fall, Panova said, she would occupy the sixth — and last — singles spot. Gealer’s improvements vaulted her into the Terps’ No. 2 singles position and earned her a spot on the team’s No. 1 doubles team heading into this weekend’s matches against No. 47 Virginia and at No. 63 Virginia Tech.
Gealer actually started out the spring season in the No. 3 singles position, but Panova moved her to the No. 2 spot less than two weeks ago. After starting 3-3, Gealer’s gone 2-0 since the move.
“I understand that everyone is really good in college,” Gealer said. “So I was prepared to have to work my way up.”
Even in high school, Gealer wasn’t always the top-rated player. Though she was a five-star recruit at San Marino High School in California, Gealer still couldn’t hold down her team’s No. 1 singles position. Another five-star player, future Princeton commitment Dorothy Tang, kept Gealer from securing that top spot.
Gealer still managed a decorated high school tennis career, though. She helped lead San Marino to back-to-back California Intrascholastic Federation division titles, and complied a 42-2 record her senior season. Gealer was also named All-Area Girls’ Singles Player of the Year.
Still, Gealer was timid and nervous when she arrived in College Park.
“The first time I saw her play tennis, I thought she was a consistent player who had potential to improve, but was still kind of insecure about what she was doing,” senior Vroni Van Berlo said. “Someone needed to tell her she’s doing a good job to get her confidence up.”
Much has changed since last semester. Gealer now has the most energy and fight on the squad, Panova said, and is always doing everything she can to support her teammates.
“I’m only a freshman, but still, I’m still older than most of the people on the team,” Gealer said. “I definitely felt like I needed to step up. I think it’s helped me become more of a leader.”
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