Story by Chris Nalwasky of NJ.comThe Kent Place tennis team, ranked No. 4 in the NJ.com Top 20, swept all five flights to tally 100 points and win their 10th straight title at the Union County Tournament at the Donald Van Blake Tennis Facility in Plainfield.
It is the 10th title in a row, including ties, for Kent Place. No. 19 Oak Knoll, which came in second place 65 points, was the last team other than the Dragons to win the tournament in 2015.
“It’s incredible,” said senior Keira Kapur, who won back-to-back first singles titles. “I’m super proud of our team. We’ve worked on our chemistry and building each up this year.”
No team in Union County has had finalists at all five positions since Kent Place brought its whole squad to the finals in both 2021 and 2022. But, they did not win at each spot those seasons.
“They deserve it,” Kent Place coach Dave Phimsipasom said. “I told them at the start of the season that they have to want it. They went after it, and their hard work paid off. I’m happy for them. They showed heart.
“I could tell they were tighter than normal. The nerves were definitely there, but they overcame it all and they all won.”
Kapur outlasted the hard-hitting Isabella Ramirez of Oak Knoll, 6-3, 7-6(5), to be recognized as the “top player in Union County” as tournament director and longtime retired Westfield coach George Kapner said. It was the third trip in a row to the finals at first singles for Kapur, who also won at third singles as a freshman.
“It feels really great. I’ve put in a lot of hard work,” Kapur said. “This has been a goal of mine to make it here for a third time in a row and win it the last two years especially as a senior.”
Kapur rose the occasion when it mattered most. The senior hit the corners and used a variety of shots to move Ramirez around the court.
“I definitely did, and one of my strengths is moving around the court as well,” she said. “Outlasting my opponents is something I like to do.”
Kapur was also able to do a better job against Ramirez’s strong forehand.
“I tried to counter punch it,” Kapur said. “The power doesn’t bother me too much. I think I struggled the most when she came to the net and volleyed it away. I had to find ways to get around that by lobbing it over and or angling my shots.”
This was Kapur’s second win of the season over Ramirez, though the first victory didn’t come easy either. Kapur had to win the Sept. 9 encounter in a 10-point tiebreaker after they split sets.
“I was down 6-2, 4-0 in that match. I made comeback winning six games in a row in the second set and then I won the tiebreaker. I knew coming into the finals today it would be tricky playing her. She plays really great shots.”
Morgan Glover also won the second singles title for Kent Place by defeating Governor Livingston’s Lucia Gratson, 6-3, 7-5.
Third singles went to Adeline Brugg who topped Oak Knoll’s Chloe Wells-Roth, 6-2, 6-2.
Emma Geppel and Sophie Bremm also won their second-straight first doubles championship, 6-4, 6-1, against Gov. Livingston’s Anaya Phadke and Pippa Raaijmakers.
After falling to their opponents in the regular season, Mira Lalani and Lily Majocha downed Oak Knoll’s Olivia Crossman and Valentina Reale, 6-2, 6-2, at second doubles.
“Morgan has been great,” Phimsipasom said. “She’s a talented freshman who fit right in. Lily and Adeline were both here last year as reserves. Mira started, but now they all get a county title.
“The depth on the team is super strong. This is the best that I’ve seen it in a very long time.”
Westfield’s Lauren Roszak (first singles), Emma Legaspi/Sophie Mai (first doubles) and Abby Pisarra/Emma O’Brien (second doubles), Oak Knoll’s Lily Lobosco (second singles) and Summit’s Leah Khoroshevski (third singles) all earned third place.
Kent Place has a few more matches this week before it sets its sights on the state tournament where it is in a loaded North Jersey, Non-Public bracket. The section features No. 1 Pingry, No. 2 Newark Academy, No. 3 Holy Angels, Oak Knoll and others.
“We’ve had upsets before,” Phimsipasom said. “We’re going to be underdogs even as the fourth-ranked team in the state. We’ll just go out there and have fun. We believe we can get the ‘W’.”