Huskies play well in Conference 2 tourney, but can’t crack sectionals
By Skip Pearlman
The Harrison High tennis team had several players in the Conference 2 Tournament last week at Harrison High School, but none of the Huskies made it past the second round, and none advanced to next week’s Section 1 Tournament, also to be held at Harrison HS.
In singles action, Huskies seventh-grader Deana Giambo won her first-round match over Suffern’s Molly Brenner last Tuesday, but came back to lose in the second round Wednesday to Ashley Graniere of Scarsdale, then lost Friday in a back draw match to Katrina Lopez of Albertus Magnus.
“It was tough, she’s a seventh-grader playing against 11th and 12th-graders,” Harrison coach Justin Loeb said. “The girls are bigger, stronger. But she had a great year… an 11-3 season. So this was an eye-opener. She can see what she needs to work on. It was a very positive experience, and we’re really looking forward to next year. She’ll focus on improving her serve and some other things. But as a seventh-grader, I’m proud of her success.”
In doubles play, Harrison’s team of junior Anna Eisinger and senior Sydney Mueller beat Suffern’s Walker and Drik in the third set of a super-tiebreaker, 10-4, in the first round last Tuesday. Eisinger and Mueller then came back on the same day to lose in the second round, and were eliminated.
“For their first time playing doubles together, I was impressed,” Loeb said. “Sydney, one of our captains, this was one of her last matches, and she was determined, hungry… she didn’t want it to end on a bad note. They lost, but they left everything out there.”
Harrison’s doubles team of Jessica Saviano and Sydney Saviano, both seventh-graders, won their first-round match against North Rockland’s Streiter and Corbett, 6-1, 6-2. The sisters then lost to Foster and Campos of Ursuline, 3-1.
“In the first round they played excellent,” Loeb said. “In the second round they faced a team that was a lot stronger than them. They held their ground…and they had a great season, learned a lot. They’ve become known around the league, and we’re looking forward to the future.”
Harrison’s final team – Elisa Pettinato and Lauren Nielson, also won their opening match against Harris and Harserist, of Clarkstown South, in straight sets.
But the Huskies team then dropped its second-round match to North Rockland’s Dwyer sisters, 6-0, 6-0.
“They played very strong in the first round,” Loeb said. “They were very aggressive with their serves, and at the net. In the second round they met a strong team – a team that reached the states in doubles the last two years. So it was a tough match for our girls. But they also had a great season, going 10-4. And they have a great future ahead… all of them.”
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