Glen Ridge HS girls tennis team reaches state sectional final

Pictured are members of the Glen Ridge High School girls tennis team. From left are Sophia Appelbaum-Roth, Adina Foster, Tessa Rothman, Jasmine Schaber, Jillian Parker, Siena Atkinson, Michelle Plaisted, Lyla Olczak, and Georgia Frazier. Missing are Riley O’Sullivan and Tara McCusker.

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge High School girls tennis team advanced to the championship match of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 state tournament.

Glen Ridge, seeded second, was scheduled to face top-seeded Verona in the final on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Verona, after press time.

Glen Ridge defeated seventh-seeded Secaucus, 4-1, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Oct, 11, and defeated third-seeded Mountain Lakes, 5-0, in the semifinals on Friday, Oct. 14, to improve to 8-8 on the season.

Last season, Glen Ridge lost to Mountain Lakes in the North 2, Group 1 state sectional final. Sophomore Riley O’Sullivan, sophomore Sophia Appelbaum-Roth and junior Tessa Rothman are the first singles, second singles and third singles players, respectively. 

Senior Jasmine Schaber and junior Siena Atkinson are the first doubles team, and sophomore Adina Foster and senior Jillian Parker are the second doubles team.

Also rotating in for doubles are sophomore Michelle Plaisted, senior Lyla Olczak, senior Georgia Frazier and senior Tara McCusker

The captains are Schaber and Olczak. 

“I’m really proud of this team,” GRHS head coach Lisbeth Crouse said. “We have everyone in new positions this year beside the No. 1 spot. As a team, we have improved as the season has gone on. We are looking forward to being in the state sectional final.” 

O’Sullivan qualified for the NJSIAA singles tournament. She gave a great effort in the first round despite losing to Princeton Day’s Neha Khandkar. After losing the first set, 6-4, O’Sullivan won the second set, 7-6 (7-4). The decisive third set was a 10-point tiebreaker. O’Sullivan fell 10-5.

Photo Courtesy of Siena Atkinson