Raiders girls’ tennis adds state crown to county, MAPL wins
By: Justin Feil
The Hun School girls’ tennis team came through when all the pressure was on in Sunday’s early rounds, and that made Wednesday’s Prep A state finals just a formality.
The Raiders went into the finals knowing that they didn’t need to even take a court to win their second straight Prep A state title after advancing all five flights Sunday.
"We figured it out that we had won," said Hun’s Angela DiPastina. "Actually, the (official) told us right away we had won. I kind of wish the guy hadn’t told us because maybe we’d have been more motivated. We did our best. The luck wasn’t there. We missed by a couple points."
Only DiPastina won a flight Championship Wednesday, while three of the Raiders flights lost in three-set matches. For DiPastina, the individual title on top of the team title was a perfect way to conclude her career. It was her fourth straight first singles state crown of her career.
"It was special," said the senior, who will look to continue her career in college next fall. "Everybody was out there. My whole family was out there. It was good. It was the same, but then again it wasn’t. I had to work for it as I had to work for it before. It wasn’t just another easy high school match.
"I was down, 5-3, first set and she got nervous, I think. I kind of stepped up. I got a few more balls back on the court and she just fell apart."
DiPastina won the second set, 6-1. Having to battle a three-time champion has that effect.
"She just became more determined," said Hun head coach Joan Nuse, whose team also won the Mercer County Tournament and the Mid-Atlantic Prep League championships this season for the second straight year. "That’s four straight for her individually and you can’t do any more than that. It’s a record that can only be tied.
"I wasn’t really worried about her. It was a surprise when she was down. I knew the player was good. Angela has that competitive fire and she plays to win."
The rest of the Raiders came close to joining her, but their opponents did not crumble. At second singles, Lucy DiPastina lost a three-set marathon and at third singles Caitie Druker also lost a hard-fought match. The Raiders also lost in three sets at second doubles, where Nora Saunders and Ashley Wycoff fell just short.
"It just didn’t work out but we’re really pleased," Nuse said. "To put five kids in the finals, especially when they weren’t seeded to be there, was a real credit to them. Angela was seeded No. 1 and Caitie was seeded No. 2, but everyone else was not seeded or low."
That meant most of the work was done Sunday to battle through the brackets to the finals. Once there, there was only personal achievement to battle for.
"We clinched it going in," Nuse said. "Maybe they need that pressure. They tend to think more about the team than themselves. They knew it was wrapped up. They didn’t have the same push."
The bigger accomplishment of back-to-back state championships, and back-to-back seasons of capturing all three of the team titles available the MCT, MAPL and Prep A meant the most.
"It was great," DiPastina said. "We have repeat three-peats. We’re making T-shirts and flaunting them around school (today)."
Making it all the more impressive is that the players wearing the shirts aren’t the same as last year.
"We had a couple different players," DiPastina noted. "I had a lot of confidence with singles. Doubles got really comfortable. Second doubles were the MVP on Sunday. They came back from being down, 4-1, in the third set. They came back to win against Kent Place, the second-place team. Peddie was third."
While Hun relishes its second straight sweep of the team titles, pondering a third straight state title is hard to think of with the impending graduation of DiPastina, first doubles player Gwen Birnkrant and Wycoff.
"Three might be out of reach," Nuse said. "Three will be really tough. It’s tough to replace those three seniors. Losing Angela means everyone has to move up.
"We had to replace Erica (Wood), Nina (Licciardello) and Ann (Wright) this year and they were all good. I’ve been really pleased with the doubles. None of those teams have played together before this year. They did it in counties and in states. They weren’t seeded to do it either place and they came through."
The Hun girls’ tennis team came through again and again when the pressure was on, and that made Wednesday’s finals just a formality before the Raiders took home the team trophy again.