Tuesday, September 20, 2011

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

Jackie Herssens picked up a point for Dwight-Englewood at third singles during its 5-0 sweep of IHA on Tuesday.

ENGLEWOOD - With an exhilarating, three-hour, 3-2 win on opening night against Pascack Hills, a state sectional champion last season, the bar had been set quite high for the Dwight-Englewood girls tennis team this season. The Lady Bulldogs have talent, experience, and a drive to win multiple championships in 2011.  Monday against IHA, gave the Bulldogs another opportunity to test themselves and, once again, they passed with high marks in bolstering their position as one of Bergen County's best teams.

Dwight-Englewood had a major edge in varsity experience and it showed in dropping only one set in five matches to stay undefeated on the young season with a 5-0 victory over IHA in Englewood.

"We just want to come out and play our best every match and it seemed like we all played pretty well today," said Dwight-Englewood third-singles player Jackie Herssens. "I think we're a better team and more confident than we were last year. It's been a tough transition for me personally going from playing doubles last year to singles this year. But I know my teammates are behind me. I just try to stay offensive-minded and attack the ball when I get the chance to."

Among second singles players in North Jersey, few have the powerful serve and ground strokes that Dwight-Englewood's Sam Balanevsky possesses. The 5-foot-9 senior used both her serve and her powerful forehand effectively in scoring a 6-2, 6-1 win over IHA freshman Hayley Bossolina. Herssens used a different approach by using the angles and spraying the ball all over the court in her 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Alexis Morin.

IHA's Christina Sollitto forced a third set at first singles after winning a second set tiebreaker.

The Bulldogs were also rock solid in doubles with their first-doubles tandem of Olivia Yi and Alexa Colas closing out the match. By returning serve extremely well, they scored early breaks in each set to score the clinching point with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Gabrielle Cuna and Erika Paulius. The second-doubles duo of Sydney Taub and Rachel Kupelian have as much chemistry as any doubles team in North Jersey and controlled the net in holding off a late charge from IHA's Kushal Dave and Caroline Sollitto to notch a 6-2, 6-4 victory.

At first singles, IHA's Christina Sollitto won a long second-set tiebreak to force a third and deciding set. But that is where experience again took over as Dwight-Englewood's steady four-year starter at first singles, Lauren Urbont, stuck with her game plan and eventually wore down Sollitto for a 6-2, 6-7 (8-10), 6-1 victory to complete the sweep.

"That is just an awfully good, awfully deep team we faced today," said IHA head coach Jeff Knapp, who did not have one senior starter in his lineup yesterday. "Even though we lost this match, I thought we fought hard and a few points here either way and all of those matches could have been closer. Playing teams like Dwight-Englewood gives a young team that was mostly JV players last season an opportunity to push themselves and grow into a formidable varsity team. We did not get the end result we were hoping for, but we know this match will help us in the long run."

D-E's Sam Balanevsky won in straight sets at second singles.

Dwight-Englewood has its sights set on winning league, county, and state sectional titles this season. Winning a league title is the first goal on their list and Wednesday's match against Leonia will likely decide the league title. With their goals all laid out in front of them, the Bulldogs are quickly growing into their new role as the team everyone else is gunning for.

"We know what we can accomplish this year and we're taking the proper steps to achieve those goals," said Dwight-Englewood head coach Courtney Baiardi. "I thought we had a great year last year, but we're trying to take it even a step further this season. I think our girls are more confident than they were a year ago and you can tell with the way they play. They are dictating the points more and taking a few more risks. This really has the potential of being an outstanding season and everything is right at our fingertips. Now it's a matter of going out and getting it because it's not just going to come to us. If we can strive to be better every day then the sky's the limit."

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