The girls tennis team ended their season on Oct. 18, finishing in a fantastic win against Oak Knoll on their Senior Day. With senior captains Lola Geoghan and Emily Shabinaw leading the team through their season, the girls finished with a record of 9-6 and earned a 6-2 record in the Union County Conference, Watchung Division.
The team had a great season, making it to the final round of the North 2, Group 4 sectional tournament as well as placing third overall in the Union County Tournament. Westfield also took numerous individual wins at the Union County Tournament – freshman Lauren Roszak placed first in third singles, junior Bianca Vesuna placed second in second singles, Shabinaw placed third in first singles and juniors Alexa Bloch and Anna Luchsinger placed third in second doubles.
Westfield went into the sectional tournament as the second seed, but they lost to the first seed Basking Ridge in the finals, 4-1. The loss in the final round was disappointing for the team, but Geoghan said that she is “beyond impressed by [their] performance.” Geoghan also added that the sectional tournament was her favorite part of the season because it was “an even more competitive environment.”
The girls were able to perform on all stages with contributions from the entire team. Throughout the season, the seniors tallied 13 wins across all 3 of them, making a strong showing across the board. Roszak, a new addition to the team, had a remarkable performance this year, only losing three matches all season at third singles. First doubles partners, Geoghan and junior Natalie Debowski, did not lose a single super tiebreak all season, and second doubles partners, Luchsinger and Bloch, held the only winning match in the sectional final.
Debowski said, “I think the team did very well. We played a lot of challenging teams and were able to pull out a lot of wins. We all worked hard and never gave up.”
When asked about how the captains handled the team, Geoghan said, “We led the team by continuously encouraging our teammates to succeed. We hosted team bondings and ensured that every girl felt supported on the team.”
The practice environment was also a good way for the girls to connect with each other. Debowski said, “During practices, it’s always fun. I’m always having a good time and laughing but also get to play with my team who all have strong game play. Every person has their own unique game which made the team strong this year.”
The team overall had solid group and individual performances that made for a 2023-24 season to remember. Reflecting on the season as a whole, head coach Samantha Nichols said, “Our focus and court awareness really improved. Tennis is like a chess game, finding your opponents weaknesses is the first step.”
Preparing for another year of success, Nichols said, “We have a lot of young talent on varsity, and JV had an impressive season. So with the combination of players, we can really be successful. Strategy is a big component for the way I coach. I will continue to work with my players and teach them how to win matches.”
