By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Emily Rosenthal took a big step last year when she jumped into the Allentown High School girls tennis lineup.
After a year at first doubles, Rosenthal has taken another big step in her senior year with the Redbirds. She has vaulted to second singles behind fellow senior Milan Afflitto.
”I love playing singles better than doubles personally,” Rosenthal said. “It’s an honor to be second singles.”
Rosenthal helped the Redbirds pick up their second straight team win, 3-2, over Nottingham on Monday. Afflitto, Rosenthal and Allentown’s first doubles tandem of Stephanie Konya and Gianna Mangino captured wins over Nottingham.
”It’s definitely a confidence booster,” Rosenthal said. “Now I feel we’re in it. Our record is pretty good. We’re 2-3.”
The lineup is completely new from a year ago with no one among the returning players in the same position and several new faces added to the lineup. Afflitto moved up one spot in the singles lineup this year, Rosenthal jumped from first doubles to second singles, Catharine Minar climbed from JV to the third singles spot, Mangino played second doubles a year ago and Konya is a freshman. The second double team of Sydney Foo Siam and Michelle Lew is new with Foo Siam being a freshman and Lew a junior who played JV last year.
”It’s been a big adjustment for all of them,” said second-year AHS head coach Monica Nichols. “They’re handling it great. They’re all excited for their new positions. We had a few scrimmages, the first time that Allentown has had scrimmages, and it made a big difference. It helped. It showed them what they’re up against.”
Rosenthal had worked over the offseason to put herself in position to land a spot in the singles lineup. She has improved all facets of her game, but in particular worked on how hard she hits.
”I practiced all summer and tried to get the velocity to where I used to watch it,” Rosenthal said. “Being on JV and going to varsity, it’s (different) how fast the ball moves. I think I’m there.
”My confidence went up so much because I practiced,” she added. “That’s all I did.”
When it came time for challenge matches, Rosenthal’s off-season work paid dividends. She moved up the ladder to the second singles slot.
”As I was practicing this summer, I definitely knew I’d be one of the singles,” she said. “I didn’t know second singles. I thought maybe third singles. I was really happy.”
The Redbirds are happy with the progress that they have seen across the board. Their back-to-back wins who they are developing well.
”They’re playing really well,” Nichols said. “We have a lot of girls on varsity this year that weren’t on varsity last year. They’re working hard and they’re starting to get settled in their positions.”
Rosenthal admits that starting the season in the singles lineup was tough. The competition is good and players can’t afford a bad day.
”As a team, I think it’s a learning experience for all of us,” Rosenthal said. “In the beginning it was little rough. Now we’re doing really good.
”It’s all confidence,” she added. “It’s all mental. If you do have confidence, you should be good.”
For Rosenthal, it’s been a big change from playing doubles last year. All around her, the Redbirds have made strides.
”A lot of people improved,” Rosenthal said. “I didn’t expect it to be so different. Other players got so much better. Our third singles, she wasn’t even on varsity last year. She’s third singles now. It’s great for her.
”The first doubles is an incoming freshman and she’s already on varsity, which is amazing. We’re a very young team.”
With so many new pieces, there are bound to be some growing pains. It’s something that Allentown expects, but their goals remain high.
”All we can do is just improve,” Rosenthal said. “Since we are such a young team, it’s great. It gives us more time to improve. I really think they’ll be good next year too.”
Said Nichols: “What I want to see is improvement. Because we’re so young, I see it as a building year. I want to see them working hard to be the best tennis players they can be.”
Rosenthal is a relative newcomer to the sport. She’s made improvements every year while at the same time becoming more passionate about tennis.
”Something about the sport caught my eye,” she said. “I started playing my eighth grade summer. I was going into freshman year. Freshman year, I was on JV. Junior year, I was first doubles with Anjie Pati. It was such a big step. I’d never been on varsity for tennis. Now to be on singles, it’s a huge accomplishment.”
It doesn’t surprise Nichols that she has a couple of less experienced players in the singles lineup. They put in a lot of time since last year to move up the ladder.
”I’m actually really lucky,” Nichols said. “Both Emily and Catharine are two of the most athletic girls I’ve met in my life. They worked out so much in the offseason. They put in so much work, you can see why they made such a big jump. When you coach them, they soak up and learn so much. It’s nice to see.”
It helps that Afflitto has helped to mentor her fellow singles players. They are all competitive, but trying to make each other better. Rosenthal has used her strengths as an athlete to transform into a solid tennis player. Nichols has seen a lot of changes in her game since last year.
”Her consistency, her power, those are probably her two major things,” Nichols said. “The fact that she’s so athletic. She can just play longer than the other girls can, she’s so fit. Fitness is one of her biggest weapons.”
The Redbirds have also seen their doubles combinations develop nicely. They figure to be better with every match they get together.
”They played the challenge matches and in the scrimmages we worked out our doubles teams,” Nichols said. “I think both of the doubles teams have good chemistry and they’re definitely more communicative than they were last year. I think they play and mesh well. I think it’s an improvement from last year’s team. They’re all very coachable as well. They listen to your critiques and use it. They’re shaping up to be good doubles teams.”
The Redbirds are leaning on each other as they grow in confidence and skills. In addition to moving into the singles lineup, Rosenthal is acting as a leader for the younger Redbird players.
”Me and Milan are both captains,” Rosenthal said. “We always wanted to be since freshman year. It’s so exciting to be it this year. It feels like you’re even a bigger part of the team than just first and second singles. You’re a captain and you help them.”
Rosenthal is hoping she can remain a positive influence on Allentown. She has shown what hard work can do for a player, and she has the chance to continue to be an inspiring player as the Redbirds eye the upcoming Mercer County Tournament and its usual challenges.
”I look forward to seeing the new players I haven’t seen yet and hopefully making it to the second day of the Mercer County Tournament,” Rosenthal said. “Hopefully some other teammates of mine do the same.”
The Redbirds may be young, but they are starting to understand what it takes to win at the varsity level in their new positions. A promising start has Emily Rosenthal and Allentown hopeful of a big year.
”I’m looking to go have fun and as a team keep winning and as a team keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Rosenthal said. “We’re really an amazing team and we work well together.”