SHINING SUN: Princeton Day School girls’ tennis player Renee Karchere-Sun hits a backhand last Wednesday in the first singles final at the Mercer County Tournament. Senior Karchere-Sun fell to WW/P-S’s Claudia Siniakowicz in three sets in the title match. PDS ended up taking fifth in the team standings. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Although the Princeton Day School girls’ tennis squad was out of the running for the team title at the Mercer County Tournament, by the time the singles finals started, Renee Karchere-Sun was primed to produce a championship performance.

Facing top-seeded and nationally ranked Claudia Siniakowicz of WW/P-S in the finals at first singles last Wednesday at the indoor tennis complex at Mercer County Park, PDS senior star Karchere-Sun showed no fear.

Surviving an early onslaught from Siniakowicz, Karchere-Sun got into a rhythm and won the first set 6-3. Siniakowicz responded by taking the first five games of the second set but Karchere-Sun rallied to win three straight games.

Karchere-Sun dropped the next game to lose the set 6-3 and then couldn’t regain momentum as Siniakowicz rolled 6-0 in the third set to pull out the title.

PDS head coach Ed Tseng was proud of Karchere-Sun’s run as she made finals for the first time.

“Renee had a really good tournament, unfortunately she didn’t pull through in the final,” said Tseng. “It could have gone either way, in my opinion.”

Tseng liked the way Karchere-Sun kept fighting to the final point of the match.

“Renee played a great first set and even in the second and third sets she played well,” said Tseng, whose squad ended up taking fifth in the team standings at the MCT as WW/P-S won the crown.

“She didn’t give up, that is really the main thing I look at, leaving it all out on the court.”

In Tseng’s view, Karchere-Sun has given the Panthers more than just good play on the court.

“Having her first singles is great for us, she has really developed as a player,” said Tseng.

“I think she has been playing smarter and steadier, being aggressive at the right time. The best part is that she is a great kid. She is a great person, that is more what we focus on.”

PDS got some aggressive play at second doubles from Anna Kovacevich and Giulia Gerschel as they took fourth. The pair lost a marathon three-setter to Minu Sadeghi Isfajaui and Natalie Sun of Peddie in the semis before falling to the Princeton High pair of Maggie Herring and Caroline Tan 6-2, 6-2 in the third-place match.

“They really wanted that one in the semi,” said Tseng, noting that Gerschel was a fill-in for Tauria Salvati, who was sidelined by a leg injury.

“They kind of took the foot off the gas a little bit and couldn’t pull through. It was close and just getting to the semis is pretty good.”

With PDS going after a fourth consecutive state Prep B title later in the month, Tseng believes that competing at the MCT will help his team pull through down the stretch.

“This county is very tough,” said Tseng. “We always look to try to take it because anything is possible. It is always one of the highlights of the season. Regardless of whether you win the whole thing or not, it is good for our players for the rest of the season and the Prep B.”