Freshmen leading Fox Chapel girls' tennis team
Fox Chapel’s seven-girl starting lineup this season is composed of five juniors and seniors. But the top two players on the Foxes’ girls tennis team are both in their first year of high school.
Freshmen Laurel Shymansky and Lacy Cohen occupy the No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots this season on a Foxes’ team that has lost just once in section play, a 3-2 defeat to last year’s WPIAL runner-up Shady Side Academy.
“They had big shoes to fill because we always have a strong lineup,” said Fox Chapel coach Alex Slezak. “They’ve done a really nice job.”
After the two ninth-graders, however, Fox Chapel has a bunch of upperclassmen. Senior Maddy Hoffman plays No. 3 singles, while four juniors start in the two doubles spots. Kelley Friday and Isabella Verardi start at No. 1 doubles, while Elsa Lageruist and Emily Katz pair up at No. 2 doubles.
The Foxes have competed out of conference with some of best teams in Class AAA, losing 3-2 to Upper St. Clair and 4-1 to Mt. Lebanon. Slezak hopes his team will continue to improve as the WPIAL Tournament nears.
“We want to make a push in the section and then try and peak in the playoffs,” Slezak said. “We’re going to try and go as far as we can.”
Freshmen Laurel Shymansky and Lacy Cohen occupy the No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots this season on a Foxes’ team that has lost just once in section play, a 3-2 defeat to last year’s WPIAL runner-up Shady Side Academy.
“They had big shoes to fill because we always have a strong lineup,” said Fox Chapel coach Alex Slezak. “They’ve done a really nice job.”
After the two ninth-graders, however, Fox Chapel has a bunch of upperclassmen. Senior Maddy Hoffman plays No. 3 singles, while four juniors start in the two doubles spots. Kelley Friday and Isabella Verardi start at No. 1 doubles, while Elsa Lageruist and Emily Katz pair up at No. 2 doubles.
The Foxes have competed out of conference with some of best teams in Class AAA, losing 3-2 to Upper St. Clair and 4-1 to Mt. Lebanon. Slezak hopes his team will continue to improve as the WPIAL Tournament nears.
“We want to make a push in the section and then try and peak in the playoffs,” Slezak said. “We’re going to try and go as far as we can.”
tennis