(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) DEBUT PARTY: Princeton Day School girls’ tennis freshman standout Samantha Asch whacks a shot last Wednesday as she beat WW/P-S’s June Lee, 6-1, 6-2, to win the second singles title at the Mercer County Tournament. Asch’s superb debut helped PDS finish second in the MCT team standings, just 2.5 points behind champion WW/P-S.

Sparked by Its Special Sams’ Club, PDS Girls’ Tennis Takes 2nd at MCT

Bill Alden

For one Samantha, winning a Mercer County Tournament singles title was old hat; for the other Samantha, it was a new adventure.

Forming their own private Sams’ Club, Princeton Day School girls’ tennis junior star Samantha Lieb won her third straight MCT crown at first singles while her precocious freshman teammate, Samantha Asch, burst on the scene by breezing to the title at second singles.

The efforts of the two Sams, both nationally ranked in their age groups, propelled PDS to a second place in the MCT team standings as the Panthers piled up 20 points, just 2.5 points behind champion WW/P-S.

PDS also got good work from senior Lauren Constantini, who placed second in third singles, and the first doubles pair of Samantha Schaeffer and Nicole Keim, the runners-up in their flight.

The battle-tested Lieb took pride in her three-peat, which culminated with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Hun’s Kara Shoemaker in the title match.

“It is a great thing to win for a third time,” said Lieb. “I am definitely going to come back next year and hopefully get a fourth.”

Asch, for her part, had a great time in her MCT debut. “I was excited; I thought it would be a lot of fun,” said Asch, who topped June Lee of WW/P-S 6-1, 6-2 in her championship match.

“I thought it was great; I thought I played really well. I really had to push myself to win that match at the end because June is a really good player.”

Lieb had to push to subdue Hun’s Shoemaker, who she has faced in all of her MCT championship matches.

“Kara is a great opponent and she always gives me a run for my money; it always brings out the best tennis in me,” said Lieb.

“Hitting deep balls and moving her side to side really worked. My serve was pretty good today; I wasn’t trying to go for so much. I was trying for my accuracy and the positioning of it.”

For Asch, good court position is a key as she takes on the experienced and physically stronger players she is facing on the high school level.

“I think I am not as strong as some of the bigger girls and I really have to work on covering the court and my serve,” explained Asch.

Working with Lieb on a daily basis has helped Asch adjust. “We have a lot of fun; she is really good to hit with,” said Asch.

Those sessions have also benefitted Lieb. “I love having her on the team, everyday after school we go out and hit by ourselves,” said Lieb.

“We get a good workout. I am really fortunate to have a nationally ranked player on the team.”

PDS head coach Patty Headley certainly feels fortunate to have the two Sams on her squad.

“Both the one and two Sams train so hard,” said Headley, noting that first doubles star Schaeffer is the team’s third Sammy. “They come to practice and afterward, they go and practice with their pros.”

Lieb’s work ethic has made her unbeatable at the MCT. “With more tournament experience, she is a whole year ahead of what she was,” said Headley.

“Each time she plays the Mercer County, she has a whole year of USTA tournaments and training under her belt.”

Headley sees Asch as a force in future tournament play. “Sammy Asch hits a hard ball every time; the word I would use to describe her is relentless,” said Headley.

“It’s so funny; she is so focused and tough on the court and off the court she is a very sweet, shy girl who has a fantastic sense of humor.”

PDS’s toughness throughout the lineup was reflected in the team standings as the Panthers gave powerful WW/P-S a good run for its money.

“It does show a lot of depth and strength,” said Headley. “It is hard to not be first. We are disappointed but we are happy that we came so close. Everybody played their best.”

Although the Panthers’ doubles teams are a work in progress, Headley believes they will be more and more formidable as the fall goes on.

“Our doubles teams are brand new,” said Headley. “My first doubles has played together only five times, including the finals. My second doubles team (Ariel Multak and Mary Atkeson) had only played together four times by the time they were knocked out of this tournament. They are really going to come together.”

Third singles player Constantini has had things together since her freshman season.

“She has played four years of varsity tennis and has gone up and down the ladder. From third singles to second singles and then back to third singles. I am going to really miss her.”

With such a deep squad, PDS is moving up the ladder to Prep A competition this fall after winning the Prep B title last year.

“I don’t want to jinx my team or anything like that but I think we have a really good chance to win it,” said Headley, whose team topped four-time Prep A champion Lawrenceville 4-1 in a dual match last Saturday. “It has been a while since a PDS girls varsity tennis team has won Prep A.”

Lieb is looking forward to that challenge. “I am so excited we are in Prep A,” said Lieb.

“Coach gave us the option of having Prep A or Prep B. We won Prep B last year; I think we can win Prep A this year; I think we have a good shot to do it.”

Asch is determined to enjoy the ride. “I knew a lot of these kids before coming in so I knew it would be a lot of fun,” said Asch. “It would be nice to win the Prep A; that would be great.”

It is certainly great for PDS to have the two Sams at the top of its lineup.

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