Experience to help North attain division crown
Girls tennis

Williamsville North sophomore Tina Miller hopes to win her first Section VI singles title this fall.

After finishing second in ECIC Division I with a 7-2 record last year, Williamsville North girls tennis coach Hilary Nichols said the team knows what the goal is this season.

"The goal, as always, is to be tops in Division I," said Nichols, who is entering her seventh year as Lady Spartan head coach. "Following a solid second place finish last year, they are optimistic. The returning players are familiar with returning opponents from outside lessons and club play."

There is no reason to think North won't be a major contender. Nichols said of the top seven players, all but one has been a team member since middle school. The starters are: sophomore Tina Miller (fourth season) at first singles (fourth season), junior Andrea Lovrincevic (fifth season) at second singles, junior Jackie Mistretta (sixth season) at third singles, freshman Maddie Robinson (third season) and sophomore Kelley Matthews (third season) at first doubles and senior Kiran Malhi (fifth season) and junior Sophie Wing at second doubles.

Miller has started at first singles since the seventh grade. She has a career league record of 30-2 and including ECICs, sectionals and states, 62-11.

Miller has won the ECIC tournament every year she has entered it but has never won a Section VI title (finalist past three years). Nichols is confident Miller can get the job done this season.

"She is more than capable of winning the section on her own turf (section tournament will be played at Amherst Hills Tennis Club in Williamsville), especially when the league lost Kenmore West's Lauren Bates to graduation," said Nichols. "This and next year, by all accounts, should be Tina's impact year to get noticed at states by college recruiters."

Miller has also appeared three straight times at the New York State meet. Last year, she lost her first round match and won her first consolation match.

Nichols said Lovrincevic will have no trouble remaining at second singles and reclaiming her solid record of 8-1 in league last year. She finished sixth at ECICs to advance to sectionals.

Mistretta has been chomping at the bit to play at a singles position after playing well on doubles for a number of years, said Nichols. Mistretta is replacing three-year starter Esha Dasgupta, who graduated and is attending Cornell University. Mistretta is tri-captain win Malhi and senior Erin Willis. Mistretta and Dasgupta took fifth at ECICs to advance to sectionals. Robinson and Matthews won a match at ECICs before losing to Orchard Park.

Nichols said underclassmen that have shown tremendous potential for a future on the varsity squad include freshmen Danielle Altman-Gajowka, Joyce Gao and Meghan Helm.

"They will be honing their skills on the doubles court the majority of the time," said Nichols.

Nichols said the team's toughest competition in ECIC I will be Orchard Park, who North finished behind in league play last year. North finished 9-4 overall.

"Orchard Park is the main obstacle, especially at doubles," said Nichols. "Our singles should be able to be enough of a nuisance to steal two out of the three points. We just need to get that extra point. Our first doubles team has had some past experience together as a unit; they just need to work on placement angles and more strategy to throw OP off of their game."

Nichols said as a whole, the team is a contender.

"Individuals such as Tina, Andrea and Jackie will continue tourney appearances," said Nichols. "A realistic goal for the team would be to at least split with OP and make sure that we focus on our game."
North 2007 Schedule
9-12 at W.S. West ......... 4:30 p.m.
9-14 Clarence ............... 4:45 p.m.
9-17 Orchard Park....... 4:30 p.m.
9-19 at Lancaster ......... 4:30 p.m.
9-20 Frontier................. 4:30 p.m.
9-21 Nichols.................. 4:30 p.m.
9-24 W.S. West.............. 4:45 p.m.
9-25 John F. Kennedy . 4:15 p.m.
9-26 at Clarence........... 4:30 p.m.
9-28 at Orchard Park .. 4:30 p.m.
10-1 Lancaster.............. 4:45 p.m.
10-3 at Frontier............ 4:30 p.m.