By Kendall Upchurch & Emma Bonanno – Staff Reporters

Every Law girls tennis season begins with a blank slate, but a few chapters in school history will read quite like this one. 

Law recently wrapped up its 2026 regular season with a record of 15-5, which ties the school record for regular season wins. The team beat Hand and Cheshire for the first time ever this season, qualified for the SCC Tournament, and finished as the #2 seed in the Class L State Tournament.

Head Coach Mr. Kulenych traced the team’s success directly back to the daily commitment shown by every player on the roster. 

“We have been successful this season because we have a group of girls who work hard to get better every day, who refuse to give up and grind through tough sets and tough matches, and who are there for one another on and off the court,” Kulenych said. “It’s hard to beat a player or a team that never gives up, and that is our mentality every time we take the court. It doesn’t matter who we are playing – and we have played a lot of really talented teams this year – the girls give max effort and want to be great.”

Through a relentless work ethic and an unbreakable bond, the squad turned a season of potential into a season for the record books. For Senior Captain Kayla Markowitz, the season was about leaving everything on the court while lifting others up. 

“This year my goals were to of course contribute to the team’s success by winning as many varsity matches as I could, and ultimately help us get to SCCs and States,” Markowitz said. “Above that, I wanted to walk off the courts every day knowing I was better than the day before, and support my teammates in whatever way I could. Whether that means giving them a pep talk, or just a reminder that they’re giving it their all and that’s all we could do, I wanted my team to know I had their backs.” 

That collective backing was on full display during a historic 5-2 home victory against Cheshire. 

“The team energy was incredible that day and it was a testament to how hard we had each been working in practice,” Markowitz said. 

Junior Courtney Russo noted that the victory was an unexpected personal triumph. 

“The Cheshire match was my favorite because it was a huge win for me that I went into not expecting at all,” Russo said. 

Law followed up that win with a historic victory against Hand. Having lost to Hand earlier in the year, the second meeting came down to the wire and sophomore Emma Ciccarelli was right in the thick of it. 

“My match ended up being the deciding match, and after a comeback, my doubles partner (Siya Patil) and I were able to win the match for both us, and the entire team,” Ciccarelli said. “The team had never beaten Hand in school history, and it was a huge and exciting moment for everyone on the team.”

Throughout the season, Law’s biggest strength was its depth. Senior Captain Harshitha Kothapalli, Russo, senior Rose O’Connell, and sophomore Cora Aitkenhead anchored the singles lineup, and the teams of sophomore Isla McKeand/senior Layla Alogna, Ciccarelli/Patil, and Markowitz/junior Aasritha Gadhamsetty all had successful doubles seasons.

Junior Jocelyn Dimes and sophomores Anwita Puttam and Vanessa Messina also posted key varsity wins during the season.

Kothapalli, Patil, and Ciccarelli were all named to the All-SCC team and Aitkenhead finished the regular season undefeated (20-0) at #4 singles.

What makes the team’s run even more memorable is how many question marks there were in the lineup at the start of the year. Players stepped into new roles without missing a beat – a quality that Aitkenhead found incredibly impressive. 

“In three words, I would describe our season as supportive, experimental, and historical,” Aitkenhead said. “Going into this season, anybody really could have played anywhere, so I am beyond impressed with both our coach’s and our players’ ability to be flexible and willing to do whatever it takes, and even more impressed with how those attitudes have led us to so much success.” 

Russo said the true heart of the team was forged in quieter, lighter moments off the court. 

“The team had a pasta party recently, and we all hung out outside and rode scooters and skateboards together, which was very wholesome,” Russo said. 

Kulenych credited the team’s leadership for keeping those standards high day in and day out. 

“Our captains have done a tremendous job all year, setting the tone on and off the court,” Kulenych said. “They work hard every day at practice, they fight through difficult matches, and they are always there to support their teammates and build confidence and camaraderie. Their positive energy, maturity, and work ethic were a huge part of our success this season.”