Syosset girls tennis wins another Long Island championship; now it's time for unfinished business in state tournament
Selena Wang of Syosset readies her backhand during the Long Island large school girls tennis finals on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The Syosset girls tennis program is still crafting the story of its 2024 season. With one week left, it’s a tale that’s been told before — more than once. This time, the authors are going for a better ending.
Syosset, the Nassau County champion, showed off its skill, mental toughness and considerable depth on Saturday as it rolled past Suffolk titlist Half Hollow Hills East for a 6-1 triumph in the Long Island Large School championship match at Shoreham-Wading River High School. The victory propels Syosset (17-1) into state Division I semifinal on Friday at the USTA National Tennis Center in Queens.
It’s the third time in four years and second consecutive season that Syosset has beaten Hills East for the LI crown. And in both 2021 and 2023 it prevailed in its semifinal only to lose the state championship match to Scarsdale of Section I. Syosset is working on a better finish.
“This is our year,” said junior Elaine Liu, who teamed with Selena Wang for a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Senior Zia Mukherjee played in the ’21 and ’23 state tournaments and, after her 6-1, 6-4 win at second singles, she was asked if this team is best suited to win Syosset’s first title.
“I believe it is," she said. "This team is more close-knit than in other years and we are skilled and mentally strong. Everyone is super game-smart. It’s a strong team.”
“Our singles lineup is definitely the strongest that we've had,” Syosset coach Shai Fisher said. “We always have depth and we're in a great spot to see how we stand as far as going into states this year.”
Syosset has another thing going for it: this season’s starting lineup includes eight players who started in the 2023 state final.
Stephanie Marcheret, who posted a 6-0, 6-2 win at first singles, is also fully healthy after missing several weeks with an ankle injury. The junior’s injury forced several Syosset players to move up a rung and face tougher competition for much of the season. It didn’t always yield wins, but they are better prepared for the rigors that await.
“Between [Marcheret] coming back and the experience we got playing ‘up,’ it has made us that much stronger,” Mukherjee said.
Freshman Shubhangi Pradhan won 6-4, 6-3 at third singles, junior Julia Isham and seventh grader Hannah Wang won 6-1, 6-1 at third doubles and sophomore Kayla Lo and senior Manasi Pradhan had a 6-3, 6-2 win at fourth doubles.
Juniors Smanatha Heyman and Emma Wilck scored a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles for Hills East (15-3).
Several Syosset players echoed Liu’s sentiment that this team is equipped to write a satisfying final chapter on the season. Told this, Fisher said, “I'm happy that they're confident . . . but we still have to prove it. I know they're battle tested — they’ve been through pressure matches — and they're looking forward to it. They're ready.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.