Pine-Richland girls tennis thriving without top player

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, September 15, 2024 | 11:01 AM

It’s been another superb season thus far for Pine-Richland girls tennis, and for the most part, it’s been without the team’s strongest player.

Caroline Prisk, who qualified for states as a freshman last season, has only played in a handful of matches because she’s been focusing on playing junior tournaments to boost her USTA junior ranking.

A pair of freshmen, Cassandra Lapina and Sonaya Arora, have anchored singles matches and the Rams were 7-2 overall and 5-0 in Section 2-4A play through Sept. 11, closing in on the program’s 23rd consecutive WPIAL team playoff berth.

“It’s great to see them perform well because they work so hard,” Rams coach Dang Siriprasert said. “We have a young team. I try to teach them how to win the point and that’s something we’re still working on, but it’s not easy because the season is so short with lots of matches. You don’t really have a lot of time. On off days, it’s not just practice. You have to make sure that they have good mental, physical and social well-being.”

Pine-Richland has section wins over Shaler, Seneca Valley, Butler, Mars and Montour. The section title will likely come down to a meeting with North Allegheny on Sept. 20. The Rams and Tigers are both 5-0 in section play.

Prisk did not compete in WPIAL singles and thus will not have a chance to make states for a second consecutive year.

“We looked at her schedule, and the state meet is the same week that there’s a big (junior) tournament where a lot of Division I colleges will be able to look at her,” Siriprasert said. “It’s very important for her to go that route. It will help her get the opportunity to play in college.”

Lapina and Arora entered the WPIAL section singles tournament Sept. 11-12 at North Allegheny. Lapina was seeded first and rolled into the finals. Arona won her first-round match but fell in the quarterfinals.

Lapina advanced to the WPIAL singles tournament Sept. 18-19.

“Cassie is doing some USTA tournaments and Sonaya has done some tournaments as well and she just loves to play,” Siriprasert said. “They’re still very young and doing very well.”

Siriprasert said a combination of players have been used in doubles matches, because there’s a lot of depth within the team.

That includes juniors Deeya Nayyar and Priya Shah, sophomore Addison Cohen, senior Elizabeth Anthony and freshman Lucy Hinds. Other players on the team are seniors Levina Jitesh and Katherine Willner and juniors Nicole Ebner and Brinda Kannan. Senior Yasemin Ersoz is a team manager.

Siriprasert said the team is still deciding who will enter the WPIAL doubles sectionals, which are set for Sept. 25-26. The WPIAL doubles tournament is Oct. 3-4.

“We have 12 players and normally I only take seven to nine (on varsity), but we have a lot of good players,” Siriprasert said. “Some players are better in singles than they are in doubles, so we have to look at what players do well.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Pine-Richland