Spartans make move to Shore’s top division,
A North
By paul salus
Staff Writer
The Ocean Township girls’ tennis team with only three seniors is young and talented.
Although the team lacks experience, Coach Stan Friedman is hoping his 23 years as the girls’ coach, where he has amassed an impressive 225 victories, will be enough to pave the way for success this season.
Sophomore Skye Rubel is the team’s first singles player and stand-out dominator, according to Friedman.
"Last year was a real experience-building year for Skye. Now, she’s more mature and better able to handle the pressure," Friedman said. "She’s off to a great start, winning her first two matches, but she’s going to have a very tough schedule this season. She has a very difficult task facing her."
Senior Mindy Sprung is the team’s second singles player, and one of the few seniors of the group.
"Mindy is playing singles for the first time this year," said Friedman. "She has been playing strong, and I hope she continues to do the same."
The team’s third singles’ player is sophomore Emily Grossman, who is also expected to do well this season.
"She has started off a bit slowly, but her later sets have been strong, and so will the rest of her season," said Friedman.
Friedman will be rotating eight girls in the two doubles matches until his coaching expertise tells him otherwise.
Those girls include seniors Danielle Tiley and Arielle Shinder, juniors Tara Bascom, Rebecca Feld, and Whitney Oppito; sophomores Dina Goldenberg and Erin Herman; and freshman Michelle Mazzacco.
"All eight doubles players are all fairly equal in ability," said Friedman. "Until someone shows a real advantage, I’m going to let them all play. I plan on rotating them until something happens that makes me want to change it."
Ocean Township makes the move back to Division A North this year after a short stint in the B North Division. This means match-ups with such powerhouse programs as Marlboro, Manalapan and Freehold Township. All of the teams in A North are talented this year, meaning the Spartans will have to earn every win they get within the division.
Despite the tough schedule, the Lady Spartans hope to finish well enough to qualify for post-season play, and this year they just may have the tools to do it.
Ocean got their first look at the division favorite Marlboro Tuesday, and took on Long Branch yesterday. Today they host a solid Middletown South squad at 3:45 p.m., and will travel to Tinton Falls to face Monmouth Regional Monday.