As freshman roommates, Aleah Marrow and Maddie Kobelt became fast friends and shared countless laughs together in their South Campus apartment.

Little did they know that their relationship would extend onto the court the next season.

‘Right when we first met, we clicked really well off the court because we both liked to laugh a lot,’ Kobelt said. ‘That definitely carried over to the court. We smile a lot when we play together, regardless of the score. If there’s any tension or pressure we try to smile it off because we know that we always have each other’s back.’

The countless hours that Marrow and Kobelt spent together last year helped set the foundation for the duo’s relaxed, loose style of play as doubles partners. Both players developed during their freshman campaigns and returned as experienced ‘bruisers’ in the Syracuse doubles lineup. If the No. 39 Orange wants to clinch a berth in the NCAA tournament, it will need key contributions from the sophomore pair.

Marrow and Kobelt have compiled a 7-5 record, including a 4-0 mark in Big East play, as they have continued to find their groove under head coach Luke Jensen’s aggressive coaching style.

And both players made large strides in development in their first year at Syracuse. Kobelt learned under senior Emily Harman. She paid attention to detail and emulated Harman’s intense play. Marrow took a similar path, learning the complexities of the doubles game by playing with senior Simone Kalhorn.

When Jensen made his decision to pair Marrow and Kobelt together, the head coach knew it would take some time before the two players felt comfortable communicating with one another on the court.

Kobelt, however, was optimistic that she and her old roommate could be successful against quality competition.

‘When we started playing with each other, everything became so natural,’ Kobelt said. ‘Being able to have the relationship off the court, that friendship definitely helped smoothen the transition of playing with a new partner.’

Marrow and Kobelt have also given Jensen a reason to smile. Their consistent play has filled a hole in the Orange doubles lineup, which lacked a competitive pairing.

The duo was productive right out of the gates. In the season opener against a ranked South Florida squad, Marrow and Kobelt were again sharing laughs, this time under the shining Florida sun. Both players fed off each other’s energy, using their chemistry on the court to communicate and establish a sense of rhythm.

Marrow and Kobelt won the only doubles game for the Orange in that USF match and haven’t looked back since.

Jensen has been steadfast in his decision not to fiddle with his sophomore tandem. With an infusion of freshmen on the roster, Jensen said he has tried mixing and matching different doubles combinations to find what works best for the team.

But he has left the Marrow-and-Kobelt pairing alone and has shown confidence in the two players who have played more doubles matches together than any other SU pair this season.

And as the two players gain more repetition in doubles, their ability to compete at a high level will continue to rise.

‘Our personalities clashed well,’ Marrow said. ‘We’re more of a silly pair, we know how to stay relaxed, but we know when to be serious when we play.

‘It works with us, that’s just how our relationship is.’

awmirmin@syr.edu 

Published on February 28, 2012 at 12:00 pm