Producing top-flight girls tennis teams on a county and statewide basis has been the customary trend for veteran coach Bill Wing and his Montclair Kimberley Academy program, one which captured four straight Non-Public B State championships from 2003-2006. Included in that run was an undefeated 2004 squad which won the school’s first and only Tournament of Champions title while being led by New Jersey player of the year Chisako Sugiyama (University of Michigan).
An 18-3 record, including a tough 3-2 loss to Villa Walsh in the Non-Public, North B semifinals ended an otherwise successful 2007 campaign; however, this autumn’s Cougars must retool quite a bit due to graduation and an injury to a key player.
"It’s always hard to predict just how strong a team you’ll have because it also depends on how good everyone else is out there," said Wing, who begins his 12th season at the helm of MKA court fortunes. "We know Millburn is loaded, but after that it remains to be seen just how good the other top teams in the county will be.
"We know Newark Academy is another team to watch both in Essex and in the Colonial Hills Conference, and Pingry is always strong. Glen Ridge, with a strong singles player in Emma Taylor, could be another team to watch.
"I like the attitude and talent of our team, even if some of the players may not have the experience of many of our recent State contenders."
Leading the cast of returnees is senior captain Melissa Wong, who moves into first singles after excelling at third singles last year.
"Melissa is match tough and really grinds out a match when she has to," said Wing. "She works as hard for her points as anyone out there and has just gotten better and better throughout her career.
"We’re looking for her to be a solid player at No. 1 and be a strong leader for us as well."
A big hit to the lineup was absorbed in the preseason when Melissa’s younger sister, promising sophomore Carina Wong, suffered torn ligaments in her ankle.
"Losing Carina is a tough blow because she would have fit in quite nicely at either third singles or first doubles," said Wing. "We hope to have her back in four weeks, which will certainly make us stronger if she’s healthy enough to go strong during the stretch run of the season."
Even with Carina Wong sidelined for at least a month, MKA is still solid with veteran skill at key positions, including at second singles where junior Laura Polding continues to do whatever the team needs.
She started at third singles and shined as a freshman before teaming with the since-graduated Chrissy Patterson to form a fine first doubles tandem last autumn.
Now, Polding is comfortably back in the singles lineup where she could emerge as one of the Colonial Hills Conference’s best in 2008.
"Laura has excellent ground strokes, hits the ball flat and consistently and also has a tough lefty serve," said Wing. "She’s filled so many roles for us already during her first two years and we’re very confident with her at No. 2 this season."
Moving into the third singles spot is sophomore Alisha Bhatia, who saw some singles action last year as a key reserve. She is one of the young players in the MKA net program with outstanding promise.
There is currently a highly competitive battle for both doubles positions among sophomore Adriana Calandra, seniors Supriya Prakash and Mary Labowsky, freshman Lauren Martin and junior Sarah Moses.
The Cougars graduated its first two singles players (Stacey Burns and Nicole Viola) and two doubles players (Patterson and second doubles performer Darrin Bedol) off last year’s squad.
MKA opens the new season on Monday at home before entertaining the aforementioned Glen Ridge on Wednesday. Both matches begin at 4 p.m. on the MKA Middle School courts.
Wing always puts together a terrific nonconference schedule whenever possible. In keeping with that tradition, the Cougars are scheduled to host Millburn on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
MKA also travels to traditionally strong Bergen County power Ramapo in Franklin Lakes on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
