Franklin Regional girls tennis seeking section championship

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, September 6, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Franklin Regional girls tennis team still has section title aspirations despite sustaining an early loss.

The Panthers graduated five of seven starters from the 2024 team.

Returning are No. 1 singles player Michelle Yan and Anika Jadia at first doubles. Both are seniors.

Yan was a WPIAL singles qualifier who lost to three-time champion Mia Williams of Penn-Trafford.

Second-year coach Kevin Fisher said the team is green, but the new faces are starting to step up. Fisher took over the girls a year ago, replacing his dad Howard who coached the Panthers for 43 years. Kevin Fisher took over the boys’ program in the spring of 2024.

“Our goal is to tie for the Section 1-3A title,” Fisher said. “We had a lot of spots to fill. Losing five of seven starters was tough. They have put in a lot of hard work. We are like a blooming flower.”

Junior Sofiia Palombo has moved into the second singles spot and sophomore Avani Kulkarni is playing third singles.

Joining Jadia at first doubles is senior Anna Beadle. The second doubles team includes senior Paton Schneider and Sara Percherski. Junior Tanisha Narayani could also see action.

“Our only section loss was to Latrobe (4-1),” Fisher said. “It was a tough day, and we were missing two starters, one to illness. But the girls are playing much better, and we are looking forward to our matches against Penn-Trafford (Sept. 19) and Norwin (Sept. 22).

“The top team in the section is Penn-Trafford, but I feel we can get them. It has been a tough season because we are normally the headhunter.”

Franklin Regional also has matches against Connellsville and Armstrong.

“The girls have made great strides,” Fisher said. “We have a big team, 28 girls, and I am excited to work with the sophomores and freshmen. Hopefully, they stick with it and try to improve.”

Fisher said he expects Yan to take battle Williams again for the section singles title.

The section singles tournament is being held Sept. 10-11. The WPIAL singles tournament is set for Sept. 17-18. Section doubles follows Sept. 24-25, with the WPIAL doubles tournament taking place Oct. 1-2. The WPIAL team playoffs get underway Oct. 6.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

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