Win at No. 1 hleps Little Tigers to CJ III girls’ tennis semis
By: Justin Feil
It might seem like it would get easier for a senior in her third year at first singles, but things haven’t been that way for Alicia Ling.
"There’s a whole generation my year or so that are really good at tennis," said the Princeton High senior. "Victoria (Vaynberg of West Windsor-Plainsboro South), Angela (DiPastina of Hun) and Alexis (Jacobi of Princeton Day School). We’re all about the same year. I hate to say it, but since I’m first singles, you can’t depend on me winning most of the matches.
"It kind of stinks, but it’s also fun. I get exposed to all these players who are nationally ranked. I’d rather play someone better than me and lose than play someone not as good and win."
Thursday, Ling met someone close to the same level as her and won, in three sets, as fourth-seeded PHS defeated No. 5 Nottingham, 4-1, to advance to today’s Central Jersey Group III semifinals at top-seeded Red Bank Regional.
Princeton was the only Packet-area team to advance to the semifinals with a win on Thursday. Also in CJ III, sixth-seeded West Windsor-Plainsboro North dropped a 3-2 decision to third-seeded Hopewell Valley. Jackie Wong and Christine Su picked up wins for the Knights.
In CJ IV, eighth-seeded WW-P South dropped a 3-2 decision to top-seeded Marlboro. Victoria Vaynberg picked up a win at first singles, while the Pirates also picked up a win from the second doubles team of Michelle Oo and Abilasha Singh.
In North Jersey, Section 2 Group III, fourth-seeded Montgomery dropped a 3-2 decision to fifth-seeded Ridge. The Cougars picked up wins from Holly Clare at second singles and Eda Altiok at third singles.
PHS has only memories of last year’s 5-0 loss to Red Bank to recall, but knew plenty about Nottingham, who they defeated, 4-1, earlier this season.
"I think it was helpful because we played them before and beat them," Ling said. "It gave us confidence that we’d done it once and could do it again. They switched up their lineup a little bit, so we were a little worried. But we still knew how each person played, their styles."
Ling faced the same opponent as the earlier-season meeting, and came away with a 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 7-4 win. She defeated Angela Neumescu of Nottingham in two sets in the first match.
"It was a tough match this time," said PHS head coach Carol Sinkler. "Her match did not decide that we won, but it was nice to have the icing on the cake."
A CJ III crown would be extra sweet for Ling, one of five seniors in the Little Tigers’ lineup. Being one of the PHS players in her final year has made this season a little more special, regardless of her personal record.
"You want your senior year to be your best year," Ling said. "Winning is one thing, but getting along and having a good time is more important. I like having fun with the people on the team. We’ve done a lot together.
"Red Bank is going to be a really tough match. Last year, it was a quick match, and overall I think they’re supposed to be good. Even if they’re good, we’ll play our best and try our best. Win or lose, we’ll have a good bus ride back. We always have good bus rides. Winning states would be great, but it’s just as important to have a tight team."
And with such a senior-laden group, they’d like to go out together on top. If not a sectional crown, PHS still has a shot at the Colonial Valley Conference’s Valley Division.
"Everyone’s seniors, so everyone wants to win this year," Ling said. "It gives us motivation."
Next year, Ling will be off to college, though at least for one class a day, she already is. Ling, like many of Princeton’s players, is taking a math class at Princeton University on top of two advanced placement courses. Ling also has been preparing a piano solo for the high school orchestra’s Switzerland tour in the spring. Tennis, a sport that’s been her favorite since she started attending summer camp as an 8-year-old, remains big though she no longer takes private lessons or plays in outside tournaments like many of her first singles opponents.
"It’s still really important to me," Ling said. "It’s first of all a good experience. I’ve played a lot of sports and tennis is my favorite. I had to work for it. For my parents to get me lessons, I had to prove I’d practice for it. It’s like having a goal.
"There’s a lot of strategy and quickness. There are a lot of components that go into the game. You also learn to focus mentally and physically."
Both aspects can be difficult when, on one hand, a player is carrying half of a college academic load and on another, they’re playing a match every day. PHS last week had matches Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sinkler can see an advantage in players like Ling, whose in-school success translates well onto the tennis court.
"It’s like playing chess," the PHS coach said of tennis. "You have to know when to assert yourself, when to have finesse on the tennis court and when to be aggressive and when to retreat. You have to know how to do those things to make your tennis happen."
It hasn’t been any easier playing in one of the toughest counties in the state. But in her final year as PHS’ first singles player, Alicia Ling’s play has helped put the Little Tigers in the CJ III semifinals and given them a shot at a fantastic finish to her high school career.