By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
The Princeton High girls tennis lineup has a vastly different look this year. But the Little Tigers are still getting the same positive results as they have in the past.
Despite having to replace its entire singles lineup from the team that won the Mercer County Tournament title last year, Princeton reached the semifinals in four of five flights at this year’s tournament and finished second to West Windsor-Plainsboro South.
“We knew we had an uphill battle this year losing our entire singles lineup and half of our doubles,” Princeton coach Sarah Hibbert said. “Nikita (Salgame) is the only one in the same position as last year. Gillian (Samios) and Elise (Gerdes) went from second doubles to first and second singles so that is quite a huge jump. For them to play as well as they did considering the possible adversity on paper, they did a great job.”
Princeton picked up a flight championship at first doubles, where Salgame and Rachel Kleiman defeated the top-seeded team from WW-P South, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. The Little Tiger duo had lost to the Pirates earlier this year but bounced back for an impressive win this time around.
“Our first match was a really tough match and we knew we weren’t really playing the way we could a lot of times,” Salgame said. “Today we lost the first set and when we started the second set it was love-2, so it was very tough. But then we felt we had nothing to lose and said we just had to go out and have fun. It’s so great. We’re seniors and this is our last time playing in MCTs.”
The two friends, who are playing together on the court for the first time this year, kept it together after dropping those first two games of the second set.
“Today we were stronger mentally because we realized how important it was,” Kleiman said. “And when we lost the first set we just knew we had to come back. There was a game in the second set that was so long, it seemed like there were 25 deuces. We ended up winning it and we felt like we had fought and fought and we could do this. We just have fun and I think that helped for sure in the second set.”
Hibbert was impressed with the way her first doubles team kept things together and played like champions in a close match.
“They had a great second set,” Hibbert said. “They were able to come back and clinch a tight one and they just played really tough. They kept themselves tough and played hard. It’s their first year together playing as seniors and they played well.”
Hibbert felt good about the way her whole team played. Gerdes finished third at second singles, Brinda Suppiah was third at third singles, while Maggie Herring and Caroline Tan finished third at second doubles.
“I am really proud of them,” Hibbert said. “You can always talk about what you don’t have this year but there is no sense talking about that. These girls have all worked really hard together. They have all raised their level of game. Gillian and Elise jumping from second doubles last year up to first and second singles, that is quite a ways for them to go. Brinda was second doubles on JV last year and to make that jump up to third singles and come in third in the county is quite an accomplishment.”
WW-P North finished tied for third with Hightstown. The Knights reached the semifinals in two flights. Audrey Chen finished third at first singles, while the first doubles team of Caroline Wang and Feruza Norquloula was fourth.
“You are never happy unless you win the whole thing,” North coach Richard Arnold said. “But as a team I think we are improving all the way from first singles down to second doubles. We have played some of the very best schools in the state – Newark Academy, Westfield, all the way down to Moorestown. We have hardly played any of our conference matches. We have not played South, yet. We have not played Princeton, yet. We have not played many of the local schools. And we have to go to Millburn if we win our first round state match. I think we are battled tested.”
Princeton Day School finished fifth, just one-half point away from third place. Renee Karchere-Sun reached the finals at first singles before falling in a tough three-set match. The second doubles team of Giulia Gerschel and Anna Kovacevich finished fourth.
Karchere-Sun played a great match in the first singles final before falling, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0.
“Having her at first is great for us,” PDS coach Ed Tseng said. “She had a great tournament. The final could have gone either way. She played a great first set and even the second and third sets she played well. She has really developed as a player. She is a great kid and a great person. She has been playing smarter and steadier while being aggressive at the same time.”
The Panthers performed well as a team and Tseng is hoping for a strong finish to the season.
“We always look to try and take it because anything is possible,” Tseng said. “We won it a few years ago and in sports anything can happen. This county is very tough so regardless of if we win it or not it is good experience for the rest of the season and getting us ready for Prep B.”
The Hun School finished tied for eighth in the tournament, while Stuart Country Day School was 12th. For the Raiders, Paige Braithwaite reached the quarterfinals at first singles and Chelsea Braithwaite reached the quarterfinals at second single. For the Tartans, the second doubles team of Annie Liang and Ally McGovern reached the quarterfinals.
