Wendy Goldman didn’t miss much in her four years at Hall-Dale High School as an athlete or a student.

She played an integral role in two basketball teams that reached the Class C state championship game, winning the Gold Ball in 2011. She was also an all-star field hockey player and among the top 10 academic students in her class.

Goldman excelled even more on the tennis court, finishing her career this season with impressive team and individual achievements. She reached the Round of 16 in the state singles tournament before falling to Falmouth’s Olivia Leavitt. And she led the Bulldogs to the Western Maine Class C championship match, where for the second straight year they lost to Waynflete.

For her efforts, Goldman has been selected Kennebec Journal Girls Tennis Player of the Year. Hall-Dale’s Clio Barr and Cony’s Melanie Guzman were also considered.

Goldman played for the Bulldogs and coach Guy Cousins for four years, the last three at No. 1 singles. Over that time, she went 41-9, losing four times her freshman year, three as a sophomore and just once in each of the past two years, to St. Domnic’s Kaitlyn Thompson, the Mountain Valley Conference’s player of the year.

She gained better control of her touch shots and her serve improved as she grew bigger and stronger. But her greatest improvement was more psychological than physical.

“Her mental toughness, her ability to compete at a really high level, that’s her biggest improvement,” Cousins said.

Cousins said he wasn’t surprised at all that Goldman reached the Round of 16 in the singles tournament. But Goldman was.

“I wasn’t expecting to get this far, so being here is really exciting,” she said, shortly after losing to Leavitt.

Cousins said Goldman’s energy and enthusiasm spread throughout the team, one that went unbeaten in MVC play the past two seasons.

“She was captain of the team for two years,” he said. “She helped turn the culture of the tennis team around. She’s got great energy as a teammate.”

The Bulldogs knew they would likely meet Waynflete somewhere along the line. The teams don’t play during the regular season and the Flyers play a tougher schedule comprised entirely of Class B teams. Still, the Bulldogs gave a strong account of themselves in a 4-1 loss. Goldman led that charge with a win in three sets at first singles.

“It was important to end my career with a win,” she said after the match. “Waynflete just has a huge reputation. It’s tough but we played our best. During the second set I had realized that we had lost, and that was tough. I just wanted to finish strong.”

Goldman will attend Bates College and has already talked to the tennis coach about playing there. Cousins, who also coaches girls soccer at Hall-Dale, is sure she’ll succeed.

“She’s got great footwork and athleticism, ” he said. “I always joked about talking her into playing soccer.”

Gary Hawkins — 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com

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