UP IN THE AIR: Princeton High girls’ tennis first doubles player Ashna Bushan leaps to make a shot as partner Maya-Alexandra Todorov looks on last Wednesday in the final of the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament. The pair of junior Bushan and senior Todorov topped WW/P-North’s Anjali Vemuri and Maahi Patmidi 6-4, 4-6, (10-8) to win the title. The victory helped PHS take second to North in the team standings at the event which was played at the Mercer County Tennis Complex. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last fall, the pair of Maya-Alexandra Todorov and Ashna Bushan rolled to the title at first doubles for the Princeton High girls’ tennis team at the Mercer County Tournament in what turned out to be the last year of the competition.

With the Mercer County Tournament Association announcing last spring that it was discontinuing the county tournament in favor of a Colonial Valley Conference Tournament, which bars local private schools who are not members of the CVC, the result was the same last week as Todorov and Bushan prevailed at first doubles.

After winning each match in straight sets at the 2023 MCT, the pair was pushed in the final this year, having to pull out a 6-4, 4-6, (10-8) win over Anjali Vemuri and Maahi Patmidi of WW/P-North at the Mercer County Tennis Complex.

Bushan acknowledged that the pair struggled a bit after a strong first set.

“We got maybe a little bit overconfident, we lost a little bit of focus in the middle of the game,” said Bushan. “We tried to refocus.”

Heading into the 10-point match tiebreak, Bushan and Todorov focused on staying in the present.

“We just wanted to stay focused on the point and forget the ones that didn’t go as well,” added Bushan.

Things didn’t go well early in the tiebreak as the North team built an 8-6 lead, two points away from the title. At that point, Todorov was concerned that the match was slipping away.

“It was ‘oh my God,’ I thought we were going to lose it for a second,” said Todorov.

Taking matters into her hands, Todorov made some sharp volleys and unleashed a powerful serve to make it 9-8 as the PHS team won four straight points to close out the match.

“I believe my strengths are at the net, I like when it I get those volleys,” said Todorov.

In reflecting on the rally, Bushan pointed to the trust level between the partners, who are in their second year playing together.

“I think it is just motivating each other and not letting the other person feel bad if they missed a shot,” said Bushan. “I think since we are friends already that communication is always there. We are never upset with each other. We use both of our strengths to our advantage — I think we are both strong players.”

For Bushan, coming through with the win was sweet. “We are pretty happy,” said Bushan. “It is our last year together, we really wanted to make it a good one.”

As a senior, Todorov was looking for a good finish. “This was the goal going into my senior year,” said Todorov. “I wanted to end it off on a good note, especially with Ashna because it is our second year together.”

The dramatic win by Bushan and Todorov was a microcosm of a tense, tightly-contested tournament which saw WW/P-North take first in the team standings with 26 points, one point ahead of runner-up PHS.

PHS head coach Sarah Hibbert sensed the tournament was going to end up being a nailbiter.”

“I was not surprised, it was a tight tournament all around,” said Hibbert.

Hibbert liked the way her first doubles team handled tournament pressure.

“It was tighter for them this time, they were able to put it together and use their experience to clinch it in a tiebreak,” said Hibbert. “We have won the first doubles flight for multiple years in a row. Maya has won three in a row now, she and Ashna have won two in a row. It is really nice for them to be able to finish Maya’s senior year with a victory.”

The second doubles pair of senior Lada Labas and Sophia Bruhn posted an impressive victory in their flight, defeating Saanvi Kopparthi and Sitara Shah of WW/P-South 6-2, 6-0 in the final.

“Our second doubles came along well, they developed great,” said Hibbert. “They had an undefeated season, which is fantastic. It was a good level of tennis.”

The PHS singles players produced some high-level tennis as sophomore Phoebe Decker placed second at second singles while freshman Kathleen Xu took fourth at first singles and junior Katie Qin came in fourth at third singles.

“All of the singles players fought so hard today; Katie and Kathleen losing third set tiebreaks in their first match and then having to come back from those long matches to play in the third place matches,” said Hibbert. “It is a lot of tennis for them. Kathleen played great against two really strong opponents. Phoebe made the final, that is a great showing for her. She wasn’t feeling her best tennis in the final, but it was a strong opponent. She fought through it.”

Hibbert was proud of how her squad fought at the CVC tourney and sees good things ahead as five of her seven top players are slated to return next season.

“We came in second which is fantastic, we would have liked to be first,” said Hibbert, whose team defeated Robbinsville 4-1 last Friday to end the season with a 12-2 record in dual match play. “We had six of the same players, Kathleen is the only new player. We shuffled a little bit, but Kathleen was the only new addition. We lose Lada and Maya next year, so will see how we readjust. I think we have the potential for another great season next year.”

Bushan, for her part, believed that the Tigers got the most of their potential this fall.

“I think overall everybody has their strengths,” said Bushan. “Everybody is a really hard working player. Everybody is pushing to be the best they can and play the best matches for our team overall.”