Girls Tennis Team Prepares for Solid Season

Wasserman held three hours of first-day tryouts for 30 players. The varsity countdown continued throughout this week with 11 of the 30 playing against the returning five starters. There are no cuts, he said.

"It's a work in progress,'' said Wasserman, whose team went 14-8 with a berth in the North 2 Group III playoffs last year. The Raiders were a No. 10 seed in the North 2 Group III tournament, upset No. 7 Nutley, but lost to No. 2 West Morris.

The team also finished fifth at last year's Union County Tournament in Plainfield.

The Raiders have several players back—senior first singles player Alexandra 
Szczuka, junior Isabella Lopez and senior Neha Pannuri.

"I would think Alexandra will be a top notch girl," Wasserman said. "She's very competitive and a really good player. She got to the second round of the states. We're expecting big things out of her.''

Senior Lindsey Douglas and junior Christina Reiman also return.

"If you come back as a non-starter you have to try out with the pack,'' said 
Wasserman, who's in his second year as girls head coach. "We have five returning 
players that will give us a pretty good foundation.''

The team graduated Emily Katz and Julie Deutsch among others.

"I think there is a opportunity here to be a pretty good team,'' Wasserman said. 
"We're very optimistic. We have some very good looking freshman coming up.''

The team will scrimmage Colonia at home a week from Friday.