With five new starters in the lineup, all coach Shari Schleifman wanted was growth from her Robbinsville HIgh girls’ tennis team.
What she got was a team that grew into the Colonial Valley Conference Valley Division champion.
The surprising Ravens finished 9-5 overall and 6-0 in the division, while also qualifying for the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Tournament.
All with just one senior in the lineup.
“To be honest I wasn’t really sure where it was going, how it was gonna go, if we were rebuilding or what,” Schleifman said. “We were successful the last few years but lost a group of girls that were part of that success.
“We ended up filling five spots with underclassmen and they definitely achieved above and beyond what I think anybody expected. I knew they could achieve and have a good season, but to win a division this season was actually a really great achievement for them, considering we were starting fresh on varsity in a lot of ways. It was the first time as a coach I’ve come into a season not sure where the lineup would lie.”
All five flights finished with winning records, including the doubles teams that consisted of four sophomores playing their first season of varsity tennis.
The most experienced player was junior Arushi Singhal, who played her third straight season at first singles and finished 9-5 in dual matches. Several of her losses were close, as the CVC contains some of the state’s best competition at No. 1
“She had a couple of big wins at the end,” Schleifman said. “What she brought to the table more than anything was leadership and ability to help others on the team. She is a solid number one. She wins where she needs to win and she plays the tough matches really tight. She’ll get that big win for us when you need it.”
In the state tournament against Rumson-Fairhaven Singhal lost a three-set match that her coach said “was probably the best match I’ve seen all year.”
Playing at second singles was freshman Nishika Singhal (Arushi’s sister) who had a glittering 11-3 record for the most wins on the team.
“She had a really good season for a freshman,” Schleifman said. “She had big wins everywhere. Wins against very tough teams like Princeton and West Windsor North. She got us a point in every match where we needed one.”
The coach felt that a three-set loss to Hightstown’s Andrea Vasquez in the season’s third match lit the fuse for Nishika.
“She was young and had a tough loss at the beginning that she learned from,” Schleifman said. “She played a good match against Hightstown where she learned a lot about herself mentally and physically. From that point on she took that deep breath and she was winning matches for us constantly. She was very important to the team.”
As was senior Lauren Knipe, who finished 9-5 at third singles and set an example for the underclassman by just competing. Knipe played in pain all year but never missed a match.
“She’s like our blue collar player,” Schleifman said. “Lauren had a knee injury the entire season. She limped through every single match she played. She had some really key moments for us so we could win the division, especially against teams we had to beat.”
Specifically defending division champion Lawrence, which was the biggest obstacle in the way of a title. Although that match was played early in the year, there was a good chance the winner would get the division crown. That is how it turned out, as Robbinsville took a 3-2 win to hand the Cards what would be their only Valley loss of the year.
Knipe beat Kisha Singhal in two sets to aid that victory.
“She really came through in that one,” Schleifman said. “Just watching her was hard sometimes because she was limping through every match with her knee. But that girl fought through a knee injury and she held that three position and she played every match stronger than I’ve seen anybody in my life. She held the position so we didn’t have to move anybody from doubles and she got wins for us.”
Maybe the year’s biggest victory came from an unexpected source in first doubles Brianna Mosquera-Darshana Senthilkumar. The sophomores endured growing pains but still managed an 8-6 record.
With the contest against Lawrence tied at 2-2, they were the last match being played. Their outcome would decide the match and, ultimately, the division. After losing their first set, Mosquera-Senthilkumar rallied for a 2-1 victory by taking a thrilling 7-6(11-9) tiebreaker over Sriya Buddi-Shalia Kolomatskaia in the third set.
“They fought through that match and came through when it counted,” Schleifman said. “When we knew it was that match for the division they rose to the occasion. They had a very bright season but it was a learning season for them. For their first time playing varsity, they did a great job.”
Another pair of first-year starters were Neha Jillella-Nishitha Bhavanam, who went 10-4 at second doubles.
“They also had some growing pains,” Schleifman said. “But they had a very strong season, they did very well. They won when they needed to win and had a very solid season overall. They’re looking to continue doubles as that’s the plan for them moving ahead.
“They played very well together, they’re best friends, they help each other a lot. As the season progressed they got stronger and stronger and were really doing very well by the end of the season.”
And as good as this year was, the future looks even brighter with six of seven starters returning in 2023.
“It looks like we have a very solid base and they’re very hard working and they want to be better,” Schleifman said. “They want to work hard. It’s a very good group of kids. I couldn’t be happier. This season for them was above and beyond. It was an amazingly good season for such a young team. It was really a confidence builder.”
The starters on the RHS girls’ tennis team after winning the division title. At rear are Nishitha Bhavanam (left), Nishika Singhal, Lauren Knipe, Brianna Mosquera and Darshana Senthillumar. IN teh front are Neha Jillella and Arushi Singhal.,
