Syosset girls tennis utilizes singles sweep en route to breakthrough state title
For the past three seasons, Syosset fell just short in the state championship match. This year, it left no doubt.
Syosset earned the program's first state title by defeating Section I's Horace Greeley, 5-2, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Nov. 7.
"I'm just super excited for the girls," Syosset coach Shai Fisher said. "We've been here four out of the last five years, and I think being here before, knowing what it takes to be committed throughout the season, they learned from that."
Syosset finished the season 21-1.
"This is all of the hard work we've put in over the season, and for me, over the last five years," said Stephanie Marcheret, who won her first singles match in straight sets. ". . . So it's definitely well-deserved."
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
County final: def. Port Washington, 5-2
LI final: def. Half Hollow Hills East, 6-1
State semifinal: def. Pittsford Mendon, 7-0
State final: def. Horace Greeley, 5-2
Credit: Dawn McCormickFor the last three years, the Syosset girls tennis team stood on the doorstep of a state championship, only to fall just short. This year, they finally broke through — and against the same team that denied them last year.
Syosset defeated top-seeded Horace Greeley of Section I, 5-2, in the NYSPHSAA Large Schools Girls Tennis Championships on Friday at Billie Jean King Tennis Center, the first in program history.
“I’m just super excited for the girls,” Syosset coach Shai Fisher said. “We’ve been here four out of the last five years, and I think being here before, knowing what it takes to be committed throughout the season, they’ve learned from that.”
Syosset defeated Section V’s Pittsford Mendon, 7-0, in the semifinals earlier in the day.
It started with Hannah Wang defeating Emma Knapp, 6-1, 6-0, at third singles. Shortly after, Stephanie Marcheret defeated Michelle Rosenblit, 6-1, 6-2, in first singles, bringing Syosset to a 2-0 lead.
“This is all of the hard work we’ve put in over the season, and for me, over the last five years,” Marcheret said. “It all accumulated up into this point, so it’s definitely well-deserved.”
A 6-2, 6-4 win from Skylar Lin over Sadie McFadzen completed the singles sweep, putting Syosset just one match away from clinching the title.
“Skylar pulls through,” Fisher said. “The better the competition, the better she plays. She plays a great game, she gets to every ball, and when the pressure is on, she just plays better.”
The clincher came from Syosset’s third doubles team. Kayla Lo and Julia Isham, playing under pressure, defeated Sophia Knapp and Pasha Robertson, 7-6 (5), 6-2, finally securing the championship Syosset had chased for years.
“It was a lot of pressure, but I do it for this team,” Lo said. “I love this team, and hopefully, there’s more to come.”
At fourth doubles, Siya Mehta and Kayla Kim came back after a lost set to defeat Charlotte Wolfson and Hannah Keckes, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Fisher credited seniors Marcheret and Isham, saying their leadership was a key factor in the team’s success this season
“I always say, it starts with the seniors and their leadership,” Fisher said. “They’ve been tremendous role-models and pillars of the program.”
And for Marcheret, she couldn’t picture finishing her final season any other way.
“I feel like all the troubles I went through earlier this season, they don’t matter anymore,” Marcheret said. “I’m captain, I did well in individuals, I just won my final match, we finally win states, I don’t know how it can get any better.”
