Women's Tennis

By Lauren Menno, The Easton Journal


Easton - The start of the new St. Michael's College tennis season comes with the reunion of the Dalton sisters of Easton. Senior Catherine Dalton and first-year Alex Dalton will play tennis together once again and aid in the success of the women’s tennis team at the Vermont college.

The Dalton sisters have been playing tennis forever, they said. In high school the sisters played No. 1 and No. 2 singles for their team. They were always competitive but never let the game come between their relationship, they said. Dalton sisters share the court again, working together comes easy for the two who played doubles in high school.

“I think it’s really good to have a sibling on the team because no one else would tell you the
actual truth,” Catherine said.

“I agree,” Alex said. “We are always cheering each other on but we aren’t afraid to critique each other’s games, either.”

St. Michael’s was one of two schools Alex applied to, she said. She has been watching Catherine’s matches for three years now and always knew she wanted to come to St. Michael’s.

“I love it here,” she said. “Everyone is so welcoming, and it really helps to have my sister.”

Women’s tennis coach Greg Cluff recruited both sisters, he said. He has known Alex for three years and was excited when she decided to attend St. Michael’s.

“When we play Stonehill, the Daltons live in Easton, so their parents invite us over for spaghetti after the match, and so on and so forth, so I’ve known her informally for a while,” Cluff said.

Team members are very close and get along so well with one another, Cluff said. Tennis is a unique sport because the girl’s on the team are actually competing with each other for the best spot, he said.

Catherine and Alex have been getting along great during the team’s first few practices. The chemistry between the two sisters is great.

“It’s nice to see sisters playing together. It makes me wish my sister played here with me,” No. 1 singles player Lindsay Horne said. “There is always a sense of competition with siblings, but once the game is over you can go home and be sisters again.”