The Syosset girls have their eyes on the elusive state title

The Syosset girls tennis program is still making history for its 2024 season. With a week to go, it’s a story that’s been told before — more than once. This time, the authors are aiming for a better ending.

Syosset, the Nassau County champion, showed its skill, mental toughness and considerable depth Saturday as it rolled past Half Hollow Hills East champion Suffolk, 6-1, in the Long Island Big School championship game at Shoreham High School- Wading River. The win advanced Syosset (17-1) to the state Division I semifinals on Nov. 8 at the USTA National Tennis Center in Queens.

It’s the third time in four years and second straight season that Syosset has defeated Hills East for the LI crown. In both 2021 and 2023, it won its semifinal only to lose the Section I state championship game to Scarsdale. Syosset is working on a better record.

“This is our year,” said junior Elaine Liu, who teamed with Selena Wang for a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Senior Zia Mukherjee played in the ’21 and ’23 state tournaments, and after her 6-1, 6-4 win at second singles, she was asked if this team was best suited to win Syosset’s first title.

“I think so,” she said. – This team is more united than in other years, and we are skilled and morally strong. Everyone is extremely smart. This is a strong team.”

“Our singles lineup is definitely the strongest we’ve had,” Syosset coach Shai Fisher said. “We always have depth and we’re in a great position to see how we do at states this year.”

Syosset has one more thing going: This season’s starting lineup includes eight players who started in the 2023 state finals.

Stephanie Marcheret, who won first singles 6-0, 6-2, is also fully healthy after missing several weeks with an ankle injury. The junior’s injury forced several Syosset players to step up and face tougher competition for most of the season. It hasn’t always resulted in victories, but they are better prepared for the harsh conditions that lie ahead.

“Between (Marsheret) coming back and the experience we got playing up there, it made us a lot stronger,” Mukherjee said.

Freshman Shubhangi Pradhan won third singles 6-4, 6-3, junior Julia Isham and seventh-grader Hannah Wang won third doubles 6-1, 6-1, and sophomore Kayla Lo and senior Manasi Pradhan had 6 -3, 6- 2 wins at fourth doubles.

Juniors Smanatha Hayman and Emma Wilk cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles for Hills East (15-3).

Several Syosset players echoed Liu’s sentiment that this team is poised to write a satisfying final chapter to the season. Having said that, Fisher said, “I’m happy that they’re confident . . . but we have yet to prove it. I know they’ve been battle-tested — they’ve been through tough matches — and they’re looking forward to it. They are ready.”

Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to cover high schools, colleges and baseball after 20 years at the Daily News. A 2011 Baseball Hall of Famer, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Finals.