Rambler to Watch: Tennis Duo Meredith Abrahamson and Hannah Post

Walk the Loyola hallways with Meredith Abrahamson and Hannah Post and they seem like normal, happy-go-lucky high school girls. Everyone on the Ramblers’ campus seems to know them, gives them a wave or a shout out.

But on the tennis court the duo repeatedly describes themselves with one word: weird.

The Loyola girls’ tennis teams No. 1 doubles combination is willing to ride weird through the state series this fall, though don’t expect the pair to divulge much of what makes them weird.

Earlier: Check out the other athletes who made our Rambler to Watch series.

Abrahamson, a senior with four years varsity experience and Post, a junior, admit they wear the same outfit for every tennis meet—not just the team issued uniform, but every possible article of clothing. They go to Chipotle after every Friday practice with teammates but become lip-locked when pressed for more information on their rituals.

They like to “pump each other up”, but refuse to say how because they’re embarrassed. They're so accustomed to one another that they finish each other’s sentences.

“We just like to have fun out there,” Post said. “When we’re calm we play really well and laughing…..”

“And calm, relaxed and joking we’ll be good,” Abrahamson continued. “If one of us gets all serious it’s not good.”

But it wasn’t always laughs and smiles for the duo that aspires of finishing among the state's top 16 doubles teams.

After Abrahamson’s doubles partner graduated two seasons ago, she was unsure if she’d be moved to singles. But the coaches decided to replace her doubles partner with Post.

The two took some time to develop chemistry last season.

“[Last season] It was my favorite season because before I didn’t really know if I was going to play singles or doubles and last year it was pretty set that I was going to play doubles and I was going to play with Hannah,” Abrahamson said. “And like every team you start out unsure but we really clicked and we did really well. We had a good season.”

They’re looking to parlay last year’s accomplishments into the 2011 campaign.

The Ramblers were fortunate enough to qualify everyone for the state tennis meet, though they did not place. Abrahamson and Post got a particularly tough draw at the state meet and didn’t finish as high as they would have hoped.

But returning after a full season of playing time with each other has created high expectations this season.

“My hope is for us to be in the top 10 in Illinois,” first-year coach Dave Bavlsik said. “That’s our goal and a big part of it is getting two doubles teams and two singles teams through the sectionals. I think we have a very solid team at the top and through the middle of the team. If we can get everyone through sectionals I think we can go a lot further at each of the positions.”

Last season there were doubles teams that intimidated Abrahamson and Post somewhat. In fact, in one of their last matches they beat a team they were initially upset to be facing late in the season.

Meanwhile Bavlsik estimates so the team’s depth should provide Abrahamson and Post with adequate competition in practice to prepare the duo to face the top teams in the state.

“Last year was really good for that so I think it will be better this year going to downstate because we will know what to expect,” Post said.

“Definitely we really want to go further in state this year and do the best we can and just go all out because we’ve really improved so much since we started playing together and we’re going to do well.”