Shen is addition in doubles spot for Cougars
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
A few of the positions are different, but there is only one brand new face in the Montgomery High School girls’ tennis team lineup.
It is that of Julia Shen.
The sophomore steps into a lineup that lost just Michelle Lu to graduation after winning its first Central Jersey Group IV championship and coming within a flight of reaching the Group IV state final.
”I felt pressure in the beginning since I knew they went to states and did really well,” Shen said. “I think I’ve been doing well so the pressure has gone down. And everyone on the team is nice.”
Shen didn’t have to wait long to prove herself. The Cougars opened the season against rival Hillsborough on Thursday and Shen and partner Emily Stall rallied to capture a tiebreaker win in a 4-1 MHS victory. Her success against Hillsborough is a big reason that it was her who moved up to the MHS varsity this year.
”She wins,” said MHS head coach John Arnold, whose team improved to 2-0 with a shutout of Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Friday before taking on Bridgewater-Raritan on Monday. “That’s what it comes down to. She cannot stand to lose. The thing I like best about her is when I ask her to do something, she actually tries it.
”They lost the first set to Hillsborough, 6-1. I said, you have to start hitting the ball. They were just pushing. She started to get Emily to start hitting. She was the spark to get the team going.”
Shen and Stall, a senior who played some matches at second doubles last year, turned it around quickly to help the Cougars pick up their first win of the year. Other MHS winners were Ayla Rasmussen at first singles, Brittany Foxx at second singles and new third-singles’ Julia Goldman.
”I don’t know what went wrong the first set,” Shen said. “I think it was just so hot. At the end of the first set, we started to play better. Emily and I decided we would try to play for fun. After we loosened up we started playing better. During the second set, we started to play better and during a switch, Coach Arnold told us to try hitting hard.
”We’re kind of used to playing to not lose. When he told us that, we were scared to try it. It worked out well. That made us play better.”
Montgomery is hoping the second doubles duo can continue to build together. The Cougars feel confident in Rasmussen and Foxx, both sophomores back in spots they enjoyed plenty of success with last year, as well as Goldman, who jumped from first doubles to third singles. The doubles are still coming together as tandems with Taylor D’Agostino and Emily Eckardt playing first doubles together. There is a lot of familiarity in the MHS lineup from last year, but not at doubles.
”It’s definitely different,” Arnold said. “We had to break up our doubles. Julia Goldman is at third singles. The key will be our doubles — how quickly, how soon they come together.”
Shen has last year’s experience on her side. While she wasn’t playing varsity, Shen did play doubles on the junior varsity.
”I got a lot of practice there,” she said, “Last year, I think I learned to volley more because I was so used to playing singles. It was weird having another person on the court. I got used to that too. You have to communicate more. I like doubles. I thought I would like singles more because that’s what I was used to playing.
”I know during the summer, I really, really wanted to make varsity,” she added. “I knew there was only one spot since only one senior graduated. Some of the freshmen were good. I didn’t know how they were. I was pretty nervous. It worked out well.”
Partnering with Stall has worked out well for a fast start. Stall has seen some of the ups and downs of MHS in the last two years, and she is helping bring Shen up to speed on the varsity level.
”I think Emily and I work really well together obviously,” Shen said. “I think we’re pretty complementary. She’s better at the net than I am. It works out well.”
Arnold likes the attitude that Shen brings to the team, and she has the skill set to develop into a reliable contributor for the Cougars. At the very least, he expects opponents to have to earn a win over Shen and Stall.
”It’s one thing to play and lose, and another to play and give it up,” Arnold said. “I don’t think Julia is one to give anything up.
”She was a JV player last year so she has a years worth of doubles experience. It’s early. She still has a ways to go. She has to work on her serve and a few other things.”
While she irons out some little things, Shen always brings her competitive side to the second doubles tandem.
”I think it does help me,” she said. “I really don’t like to lose.”
Good thing. The rest of the returning Montgomery girls are used to winning.

