The girls tennis team began the 2015 season in early September, looking to improve on last year’s 3-13 season.

This season, the girls are led by new coach Katherine Daly.

“As a coach, I want to see them do well, but I also want them all to work together, work hard, have fun, and support each other,” Daly said.

As of Oct. 15, their record was 3-8, but it does not reflect their true performance.

“The team is doing well this season, regardless of what our record says,” Kelly Jiang, a returning singles player for the team, said.

“She was a strong performer last year, and she is performing very well again this year,” Daly said of Jiang. “She was ranked No. 3 in the county tournament and qualified for the state tournament for the first time this year.”

This year’s squad puts out a group of girls with limited varsity experience. Other than Jiang, Nicole Kim and Elena Wei took to the singles courts for the first time. Junior Kelly McSpiritt returned with doubles experience.  

New varsity athletes include Patricia Schenfield and Suranjana Thakuria, who now play varsity doubles doing the same last season for the JV team. Sophomore Smruti Rajpara is new to the team, and is playing doubles as well.

Rajpara also emphasizes the how the record does not explain the entire story. “We really are a great team, playing in one of the most difficult conferences in the state,” Rajpara said. “I think we are doing a great job of handling the hardship and not getting frustrated.”

It could be argued that if the team belonged to any other conference other than Skyland, a winning record would be within grasp.

The season started out slow, resulting in two lopsided defeats vs. Hunterdon Central and Watchung Hills.

However, the team bounced back the next match for biggest win of the season, a 3-2 win against bitter rival Bridgewater.

Both doubles matches resulted in victories, and Jiang walked away victorious in her singles match. She defeated Bridgewater’s Jessie Rachelle 6-3 6-3.

“It was a great win, and it came down to the very last match,” Rajpara said. “It was definitely a morale booster.”

The team also gained a win vs. Monroe on Oct. 5. The Raiders defeated the Falcons 4-1, led by three singles victories by Jiang, Kim, and Wei.

When asked of the team’s goals, coach Daly felt that it was important that the team show teamwork, hard work, and support for each other.

“The team is doing a great job of meeting and exceeding my expectations,” Daly said.

In one of the last matches of the season the team was able to beat Bridgewater once again, by a 3-2 margin.

As Daly sees Bridgewater as a “top competitor”, the season sweep provided the team with two important victories.

Despite the difficult season, six of the seven athletes will be returning next season to hopefully make the team a serious contender.