By JIGISHA MAVANI, freshman

The Lady Hawks tennis team had an impressive start this fall season and is looking forward to the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) tournament. With captains Claire Pan (12), Jacqueline Quan (12), and Jessica Ho (12) leading the team, the girls placed second at the September Smash Tournament in Livingston, beating the home team in the first round and losing to Ridgewood in the second. Jessica agrees that there was a lot to learn from the competition, stating, “Since these two schools are both very strong competitors, playing them gave us a good idea of what we needed to improve.”

The girls’ first match of the season pitted them against long-standing rival, South Brunswick. Jackie Quan, who remains undefeated in the season at third singles, emerged victorious against her rival opponent. Following her victory, she comments, “I try my best not to let my emotions affect me.” Deepti Talesra (11) also pulled off a momentous individual win at second singles; these achievements promise favorable results in the GMC tournament and in the rematch against South Brunswick, long-time rival, later on in the season.

Although the GMC tournament was delayed due to the rain, the team remained optimistic and continue to succeed regardless of weather. Alyssa Desai(12) states, “ I think that our enthusiasm is there but it’s just being saved until GMCs actually resume, where we definitely don’t plan on holding back.” This proved correct when the team was moved indoors at the last-minute due to the impending threat of rain during the state Sectionals semi-finals. The girls adjusted quickly and pulled off one of their biggest wins of the season in a tight 3-2 match against Watchung Hills. The team’s success can be credited to Coach Pisano and Coach DiBella and also to each player’s determination to improve with every match. Coach DiBella believes that “cross-training or other like activities is also a great team-builder.” The coach’s advice has helped the team come this far.

Another impressive win was during the GMC tournament in Edison, New Jersey. The Lady Hawks won second place, only 4 points behind South Brunswick. At second singles, Deepti Talesra successfully pulled of a 6-0, 6-4 victory against East Brunswick. Jackie Quan played third singles and won with a score of 6-1, 6-3 against South Brunswick.  Ultimately, the girl’s tennis team reached for its utmost highest this season.