The girls’ varsity tennis team kicked off its season on Sep. 2, and the three-time defending county champions delivered another victory, beating Northwest High School 7-0. The team dominated the match, winning every set by at least four games.
Returning three-time State champion senior Miranda Deng, playing first singles, beat her opponent in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0.
Senior Ruchi Nanda, a two-time state finalist in mixed doubles, played second singles in the home opener and also won her match in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1. Nanda was backed by a boisterous crowd of student fans, who cheered the team throughout.
Third singles junior Claire Chen also dispatched her opponent quickly, winning 6-0, 6-0, and fourth singles sophomore Angela Wu won 6-1, 6-1.
The team’s first and second doubles teams, comprised of partners senior Georgia Bartels-Newton and senior Gabi Glueck, as well as new players senior Kathy Lin and junior Winnie Liang, continued the team’s consistent streak of absolute dominance. Both won in straight sets and did not give up a single game, 6-0, 6-0. Bartels-Newton is a returning three-time county champion and is paired with Glueck for the first time after her senior partner last year graduated.
The third doubles team of sophomore Amanda Merkin and junior Kara Wang finished off the team’s perfect start with a 6-1, 6-2 win. Merkin, who is new to the team, and Wang, making her first start, replaced the Epasinghe sisters, who moved out of the area unexpectedly at the beginning of the school year.
Deng was satisfied with her start to the season but remains focused on the team’s goals. “It was okay. It was a good start to the season. Hopefully, we can win Countys again and also States,” Deng said.
Coach Fevronia Cresham was also pleased with her team’s performance. “I think they played really well,” Cresham said. “They played how I expected them to play.”
The team was in action again on September 6, beating Quince Orchard High School 7-0.
Deng won first singles in straight sets again, 6-2, 6-1. Additionally, Nanda (singles two), Chen (singles three) and Wu (singles four) all swept their matches without dropping a single game, 6-0, 6-0.
First doubles team Bartels-Newton and Gleuck beat their opponents in two straight sets as well, 6-2, 6-0.
Second doubles team Lin and Liang swept their opponents, winning 6-0, 6-0 and third doubles team Wang and Merkin beat their opponents 6-1, 6-0.
Chen was excited with the way the team played as a whole. “The team played great today. Even though it was extremely hot, every single girl played her hardest and pushed through to win,” Chen said.
Cresham has set high expectations for this year’s team, with a goal once again of winning the County championship. “I want to win Countys a fourth year in a row. I don’t think it’s been done in girls tennis ever,” Cresham said.
The coach, who expects teams like Whitman and Churchill to be the team’s primary competition in the run to the County championship, believes she has a talented and experienced team to achieve her goal.
“I’ve got a really good, strong singles lineup. They are very strong across the board,” Cresham said.
Although the doubles teams are all new, the coach will rely on the strength and experience of players like Bartels-Newton and Glueck, who she expects to go undefeated this season.

Jason Silverman

Back Page Editor