When discussing this fall’s Robbinsville High girls’ tennis team with coach Shari Schleifman, try and guess what word best describes the Ravens.
“I’m very impressed with the girls,” the veteran coach said. “They’ve been very resilient, absolutely.”
Then ask her about first singles Penelope Bukharovich, who had to step in for injured No. 1 singles Janvi Kothagundla.
“Penny is really resilient,” Schleifman said. “You could really describe our whole team that way.”
Then conclude by asking her overall thoughts on the 2025 team.
“I’m very proud of this group,” she said. “Resilience is the word.”
And just why was this group considered so resilient?
It had to do with key injuries that led to players having to move up to higher flights. And what could have been a lost season was quite otherwise. Robbinsville grinded out a 10-5 regular-season record prior to the Oct. 21-23 Colonial Valley Conference Tournament. Three of the losses were by 3-2 scores, including to Hopewell Valley in the state tournament.
Robbinsville did that with six sophomores in the starting lineup.
“It was definitely different but our team usually pulls through and keeps things stable even though we have these new challenges,” said senior Nishika Singhal, who started the year at first doubles and played predominantly at second and third singles.
One of the main challenges was playing without junior standout Kothagundla at first singles. Kothagundla played one match before a back injury sidelined her. She returned in late September but after three matches she re-injured herself and was done for a season with a 4-0 record.
“She’s an amazing number one,” Schleifman said. “The good news is Penny, our number two, has really stepped up. She’s had an amazing season playing mostly number one.”
Bukharovich, a sophomore, was 7-2 at first singles in the regular season, including a win against Hopewell in the Central Jersey Group III Tournament.
“It’s hard to step into a number one role when you don’t expect to, especially when you’re a sophomore and your expectation is you’re gonna have a great year at two,” Schleifman said. “She has gone above and beyond. She’s been strong for us overall. Her record at number one is really good.
“Penny’s’s got a great serve and a really good forehand. She never gives up. She’ll fight no matter what. I give her a lot of credit playing number one. It’s a hard position to play, especially when you’re thrown into it in big matches. She’s either won or been in every match she’s played. This has been a great season for her to develop.”
When Kothagundla moved up, sophomore Reya Thackalapatti stepped in at second singles and Singhal moved to third singles. When Thackalapatti suffered an injury in early October, Singhal moved up again and won her first four matches at second doubles. Her combined record at doubles and singles was 15-2 entering the CVCT.
“I’m fine with playing second singles,” she said. “Freshman year I was at second singles, sophomore year I was at first doubles and last year back at second singles. I’m more comfortable playing at singles. But whatever the team needs I’ll do.”
Schleifman noted that, “Penny and Nishika have been a point for us in every match. Nishika has been really strong. She’s been with us for four years. She’s one of those players when you get her into a match, the level rises and she finds a way to win.”
Third singles was a revolving door, with sophomore Diya Thackalapatti (Reya’s twin sister) and others stepping in for Singhal.
“Diya’s done a nice job for us as well but she’s played most of the season at first doubles,” Schleifman said. “She’s been another one who, when she’s needed to step up, she’s stepped up. And she was another one who was out a couple days injured.”
The coach had to mix and match at first doubles due to the personnel issues. The regular combo was predominantly Diya Thackalapatti and sophomore Kanishkha Duna, but Singhal and senior Madeline Dutka also saw time there.
“Maddie was another senior captain (with Singhal) who also played second doubles,” Schleifman said. “She stepped in and gave us so much at different positions. She’s another resilient (there’s that word again) player for us.”
The one spot that remained solid was second doubles with sophomore first-year varsity athletes Naidhura Kotogiri and Swapna Ramachandran. The duo went 6-1 in the regular season and did play with other partners on occasion.
“They have stayed together all season and had an amazingly good season,” Schleifman said. “They’ve given us huge wins at second and have stepped into first doubles once or twice and done what they’ve needed to. They had a big one for us at Notre Dame by winning the third point (in a 3-2 win).”
While injuries curtailed the kind of season the Ravens were expecting, they were still justifiably proud of what they accomplished.
“I’m definitely impressed with how the team is able to perform this year,” said Singhal, who is looking to be a pre-veterinary major in college ne xt year. “We still had three or four other people who were ready to play singles before the season started so we were able to fill those spots pretty well.”
When asked what she considered to be the season highlight, Singhal felt it was more the effort than any singular accomplishment.
“I feel like the results don’t show the fact that everyone is willing to rise up into these positions,” she said. “Just having the record we had is a good achievement for the team to show we’re willing to step up when needed.”
In reflecting on the season, Schleifman felt it was one of her most rewarding just by seeing how her team banded together.
“With as much as we lost, to have 10 wins just shows you how great they are,” the coach said. “I keep telling the ones who are playing they deserve so much praise. It’s a challenge when you lose your number one and then your number two for a few weeks.
“I’m very proud of them, the people who showed up every day. We had some matches we probably would have won if we had everybody there. I keep telling them ‘You gotta move forward and just let that go.’ But it’s a good experience because they’re young and learning from the experience.”
Singhal pointed to the fact that she was the lone senior in the starting lineup and said, “It feels good, because even when I graduate Robbinsville is gonna have a pretty good team.”
If resiliency counts for anything with all those young players, it could be a very good team.
