By Gia Edwards – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law girls tennis team has taken the court for its spring season.

After an 8-12 season last year, the team’s goal is to return to the state tournament and to have players qualify individually for the State Open Tournament. After five matches, the team has a 3-2 record, with wins coming against Branford, Hamden, and Platt Tech.

“We rebuilt our roster last year and now our goal is to take that next step this year,” head coach Mr. Kulenych said. “We have a solid core group of girls returning and we have some additions to the team that are exciting as well. Now it’s just a matter of putting it all together and working hard as a team.”

The captains this year are seniors Monica Pydipati and Bridget Sanchez and junior Amelia Mower.

Pydipati qualified for states last year and enters this year with the goal of breaking Law’s career wins record.

“The new team this year has an immense amount of talent and we hope to be able to use that talent to accomplish new and great things,” Pydipati said.

Pydipati will be joined in the singles lineup by sophomore Jenna Bagdasarian, who qualified for states as a freshman last year, Sanchez, and freshman Lucia Pino, who will play #1 singles this season.

“Lucia is one of the best players in our league,” Kulenych said. “Her skill set and knowledge of the game as a freshman is unlike any other freshman we’ve ever had. She works so hard and is a great kid and we’re very excited to have her.”

Doubles teams to start the season will consist of freshmen Diya Daruka and Sophie Maselli, Mower and senior Jenna Stash, and juniors Brynn Costello and Meghan Loftus.

“I think that with all of the new freshmen and pairings, we have a strong team with the ability to make states and to go far, which is our ultimate goal,” Mower said.

Stash is excited for the season to get underway.

“Our team is really close,” Stash said. “We have pasta parties coming up so it’s a chance for new players to get to know us more. Also, my goal this year is to make states.”

Kulenych said he will continue to mix and match doubles teams early in the season to find the right combinations. Junior Thea Ryan, freshman Nihitha Kothapalli, and sophomore Sreya Gudlavaletti will be in the varsity doubles mix as well early on.

“I want to be constantly improving and working hard to have good results in my matches,” Ryan said. “I think it would be really cool if I can make states individually as well as my other teammates. We have worked really hard on improving our performances, single, and doubles players, so it would be nice if we can somehow get some recognition.”

Not only does the team have to perform well during matches, but the chemistry between teammates has to be there if the team wants to achieve success.

“I love playing tennis with everyone on the team because being with one another makes playing the matches more enjoyable,” Sanchez said.