(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) SINGLE-MINDED: Princeton High girls' tennis first singles player Priya Joshi bangs a shot in action last fall. The battle-hardened junior has been in top form this season, helping PHS to a 3-0 start.

PHS Girls' Tennis Enjoying New Courts, Maintaining Old Tradition with 3-0 Start

Bill Alden

This fall, the Princeton High girls' tennis team will be breaking in the school's gleaming new blue courts which sit a stone's throw from Harris Field.

Boasting the return of its whole singles lineup and two of four doubles players from a team that went 17-2 last fall on the way to the Central Jersey Group III sectional final, PHS figures to christen the new complex this fall with plenty of wins.

"We have most of the starting lineup back from a team that did well last year," said PHS head coach Sarah Heyman, who is in her fourth year guiding the PHS program. "I definitely think it is one of the strongest lineups I've had in my time as coach here. I hope they'll all be able to draw from their experience."

The Little Tigers didn't waste any time in experiencing a win in their new digs as they routed Lawrence High 5-0 last Wednesday in the season opener for both squads, dropping just one game in 10 sets. PHS moved to 3-0 on the season last Monday as they posted an impressive 4-1 over Hopewell Valley.

PHS junior star Priya Joshi figures to pick up plenty of impressive wins this fall as she leads the way again at first singles.

"Priya is on her game," said Heyman. "She has worked hard and she looks good. With the experience she has had from the last two years, I expect her to do better."

Senior Alex Willig returns at second singles while junior Jen Yi will hold down third singles. "We have the whole singles lineup as last year," said Heyman. "They should be that much better and tougher."

While the singles players all retained their spots, it was no cakewalk notwithstanding their veteran status. "The challenges were all up in the air," added Heyman. "All of the girls had to fight to get their spots."

PHS will be expecting a lot of fight from its first doubles pair of senior Kasey Reisman and sophomore Allegra Bianchini. "I think they play well together," said Heyman. "They each have the experience of playing a year at the varsity level. At first, I wasn't sure if their styles would mesh. They both put in a lot of work and their games have gotten better."

The Little Tigers will be going with youth at second doubles, featuring sophomore Jesse Delaney and freshman Pooja Joshi, Priya's younger sister. "They seemed to click well," said Heyman. "I put them together in our round-robin; I thought their personalities and styles would complement each other. You can think it is just tennis that matters in doubles but the players have to have the ability to work together."

Heyman is hoping that her team will have the ability to once again be a force in the state tournament.

"We always have good players; how well we do depends on the other teams and what they are like," said Heyman, whose team has a match at Notre Dame on September 14 before hosting Trenton on September 17. "We need to have the doubles teams to click. If we can get those two points consistently, we will only need one point at singles and that will put less pressure on everybody."

But with its core of battle-hardened veterans, PHS figures to have its foes under pressure throughout the fall.

Return to Previous Sports Story | Return to Top | Go to Next Story