August 21, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Mount tennis loaded with veterans
by TOM UTESCHER

With almost the entire roster of players returning from its 2007 tennis team, Mount St. Joseph Academy is looking to recapture the league title it last held in 2006.

Villa Maria displaced the Mount Magic as Athletic Association of Catholic Academies champion last fall, knocking off the Mount in both of their regular-season meetings by 3-2 scores. In the AACA playoffs the Magic bowed out in the semifinal round to Merion Mercy, which in turn lost to undefeated Villa in the championship. The league’s top player in 2007, Merion Mercy’s Laura Matz, has graduated.

When the 2008 MSJ squad gathered for their first practice last Monday (the official starting date for PIAA teams), the only face missing was that of Gail Walsh, the lone senior on the 2007 squad. Walsh, who played third singles last fall, has moved on to Penn State.

This year the roster is chock full of upperclassmen, and two of the nine seniors, Katie Mischler and Allie Bono, are the returning first and second singles players.

As a freshman last year, Catherine Baldisano performed in the fourth singles spot when the Magic played non-league matches that followed a four-singles, three-doubles format. Most of the time, though, she was paired at first doubles with Sarah Hirst, one of this year’s seniors.

The members of last year’s second-doubles combo, Meaghan Bricker and Chrissy Stefanowicz, are both back as juniors this fall.

In addition to those mentioned, seniors who lend depth and experience to the squad include Monica Genuardi, Casey Interrante, Caroline Johnston, Kerrie Maron, Kate Sullivan, and Norwood-Fontbonne Academy graduate Tori Wischhusen.