Friday, October 16, 2015

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

Adrianne Alfonso won in straight sets at second singles for Holy Angels, which beat Bishop Eustace, 4-1, for the Angel's first ever state tennis title.

WEST WINDSOR – To say that the Holy Angels girls tennis team has had a whirlwind season this fall is quite the understatement. The Angels have exceeded all expectations by cruising to a league title and winning the school's first-ever Bergen County title. As the team headed down to Mercer County Park on Thursday for the Non-Public A state final match, the pressure finally hit them.

They knew that if they did not walk away with a state title, the season would still be a great one but with somewhat of an empty feeling of what might have been. This Holy Angels squad had come too far though to let an upstart Bishop Eustace team stand in its way of a final piece of hardware.

Adrianne Alfonso stayed undefeated in dual matches this season and the second doubles tandem of Brooke Heideger and Abby Williams scored the clinching point as Holy Angels won the first Non-Public A state title in the program's history with a 4-1 triumph in West Windsor.

Alfonso, the team's captain, has been an automatic point all season for Holy Angels. Even though she was playing in the biggest match of her career, the steady senior just went about her business and slugged away from the baseline. She was in control from start to finish in cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 victory to get the Angels on the board with the first point of the match.

“As a senior I just wanted to make the most of this experience and have fun with it,” said Alfonso, who has garnered the attention of several Division 1 programs. “It was really tough when we got down here two years ago and lost to Pingry. It's overwhelming emotionally to get down here and win it. We're trying to enjoy every step of the way and it's really exciting to be a part of it.”

After dropping the first games of her match, AHA freshman Ashley Hess won the next 12 to give the Angels a key team point at first singles.

Right next to Alfonso though, freshman sensation Ashley Hess got off to a tough start. She consistently moved around her opponent, Caitlyn Sorelle, but hit several unforced errors after long points to put herself in a hole by dropping the first three games of the match. While Hess found herself getting frustrated, she saw that Sorelle was laboring after playing numerous long points during those games and it gave her the emotional lift she needed. Hess, who reached the semifinals of the NJSIAA state singles tournament, quickly found her groove and reeled off 12 straight games for a 6-3, 6-0 win.

Heideger and Williams appeared to be breezing toward the third and clinching point with a set in hand and up two breaks. Panic could have easily set in as the duo saw their second set lead dwindle from 5-2 to 5-4. Their confidence was never shaken, though, and they dictated every point of the 10th and final game in scoring the all-important third point to wrap up the first state title in the history of the Holy Angels (16-0) tennis program.

“There were a few nervous moments, but we knew we would have to fight for every win down here and put it all together,” said Holy Angels' head coach Jessica Leto. “You have to really execute your gameplan, but you have to have a lot of heart as well. To handle that kind of pressure, you have to have heart and we showed that we have it.”

Just moments after the victory at second doubles clinched the win, Alison Kim closed out a win at third singles (6-0, 7-5 over Ashley Sorelle) for the Angels' final point. Julianna Bedic and Sarah Weill scored the lone point for Bishop Eustace (14-1) with a straight-set win at first doubles.

Abby Williams was half of the second doubles team that scored the championship clinching point for Holy Angels.

Holy Angels now moves onto the Tournament of Champions where it was awarded the No. 5 seed. The Angels will take on Group 4 champion and No. 4 seed Montgomery on Sunday. That match will take place at New Jersey Racquet Club in Edison with a 3 P.M. start with the winner of that match getting a shot at No. 1 seed and reigning Tournament of Champions winner Millburn.

With the triple crown of league, county, and state titles in hand, whatever happens from here on out is just an added bonus to an already memorable season.

“We have nothing to lose now and we're excited for the challenge ahead of us,” added Leto. “This season, but this match in particular, really showed our girls and myself included an invaluable life lesson. We kept our eye on the prize and we worked every day to achieve our goals. It showed the girls that if you want something bad enough and you work hard enough to get there, that reaching all of your goals can be done. Our girls wanted it bad enough all season and I couldn't be more proud of them.”

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