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DiPastina's Work at First Singles A Constant for Hun Girls' Tennis
By Bill Alden
With the Hun School girls' tennis team making history last week by winning its fourth straight Mercer County Championship, one could point to several factors underlying the program's marvelous run.
The Raiders have had plenty of depth. Such stars as the graduated Erica Wood, Ann Wright, and Nina Licciardello got the run started and set a winning tone for their successors like Caitie Druker, Gwen Birnkrant, and Alex Connell.
In addition, Hun has benefited from the savvy, steady coaching of Joan Nuse, who has guided the program for 18 seasons.
In a sport that often focuses on the individual, the Raiders have developed a one-for-all, all-for-one team culture that has pushed each player to go the extra mile to please her teammates.
But there has been only one constant in Hun's line-up the last four seasons- the presence of Angela DiPastina at No. 1 singles.
Last Wednesday, DiPastina added the last line to her MCT resume by winning the crown at first singles as she breezed past Jackie Wong of WW/P-N 6-4, 6-1 at the Mercer County Park courts.
It was the fourth straight appearance in the first singles final for DiPastina and her second title.
Understandably, DiPastina was proud to go out as a winner in her last MCT. "It means a lot," said DiPastina.
"I lost to Victoria Vaynberg last year so it was great to win it again. It's kind of like a goodbye thing. I've won the states the last three years so hopefully I can do that again."
For DiPastina, peaking in her last high school season has been a mental thing. "Definitely composure," said DiPastina without hesitation when asked what has improved most in her game over the last four years.
"I feel like I'm one of the best players around. I know that sounds arrogant but I would beat myself. It's hard to fight against yourself and have two opponents."
Hun coach Nuse realizes the significance of having DiPastina fighting for her side. "The era of DiPastina," said a grinning Nuse in reflecting on her team's MCT title streak.
"Angela's been here four years and we've won four years. One would say that is probably a major factor. When you put a player of that caliber in there, it helps the whole team."
Last Wednesday, DiPastina's excellence rubbed off on her younger sister, Lucy, who cruised to the MCT crown in No. 2 singles when she routed Hopewell Valley's Danielle Morse 6-1, 6-0.
Playing on adjacent courts in the championship matches, the sisters cheered each other and chatted when they could at changeovers between games.
For the elder DiPastina, ending her MCT career alongside her sister was especially sweet. "I'm excited that we both won," asserted DiPastina. "It would have been a little different if one of us had lost. It could not have worked out better."
DiPastina has forged almost sister-like bonds with her other teammates. "I think we're really close," said DiPastina in reflecting on the team's special chemistry.
"We're at a small private school and we're together all of the time. We psyche each other up by doing things like making hair ribbons and coming up with special team cheers."
Having won the MCT, DiPastina and her teammates are now focused on repeating last year's feat when they added the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) and state Prep A championship silverware to their trophy case.
"I think we're strong," declared DiPastina, who has won three straight Prep A titles at first singles. "I think we'll pull through the MAPLs and the states. I'm pretty confident about the MAPLs and we'll have to work hard for the states."
No matter what happens the rest of the fall, DiPastina could never have imagined as a freshman how successful Hun would be over the course of her career.
"I had no idea this would happen," added DiPastina, recalling her thoughts when Hun took the MCT in her freshman season.
"Lawrenceville or somebody else always won the MCT. It will be great presenting it to the school. We don't always get a lot of credit as the girls' tennis team."
DiPastina, though, certainly deserves plenty of credit for sparking the Raiders to their magical MCT title streak.
