With the bulk of its lineup expected back next fall, the Old Bridge High School girls tennis team is looking forward to improving upon its 12-5 record.
After going 16-4 in 1999, the Lady Knights started slowly this time out, but by the end of the season, the team was running on all cylinders, according to Coach Melanie Ogden.
"The girls really pulled together, and they were playing very well when the season ended," she said. "I think it was a good season for us. This year we had a much tougher schedule with teams like Bridgewater-Raritan, West Windsor North and Hillsborough. As a result, we had to face some adversity, and that will help us next season."
Ogden added that the experience the team gained this year is sure to help them adapt to their schedule next season.
Having top singles players Rupali Kulkarni and Sarah Convery back won’t hurt either. Kulkarni was 14-3 at first singles, and, like the team, played better as the campaign moved along.
She played consistently well throughout the season, especially in matches against some top competition.
Convery, a standout, all-around athlete, was 14-2 in the second spot, and, with her aggressive style, should be even better next year.
Ogden will lose only one senior, Anahita Agha-Ghassem, who went 10-7 at third singles.
The coach mixed and matched doubles pairs throughout the year. With the season winding down, juniors Andrea Vega and Rachel Lefkowitz settled into the top doubles spot, while sophomore Yaa Acheampong and junior Wrenny Chinn were at second.
Ogden has a talented group of younger players, many of whom saw action this season. The coach noted freshmen Elizabeth Coopersmith and Samantha Mushnick as players he can count on next year.
"I’m pretty happy with what I’ve seen," Ogden said. "It’s always nice, as a coach, to see the players get better and to handle a little adversity.
"We lost a match to J.P. Stevens early in the year, and we set our sights on coming back and beating them in the rematch, and we did," she added. "The focus was there. That showed me something."