Before their match against Emmaus last week, girls tennis head coach Sean Devine reminded his team that the Hornets were breathing down their necks in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, and they had the opportunity to create some separation as they looked toward the postseason.

Just a game separated the two schools, and the all-important head-to-head tiebreaker was at stake. Devine knew it was going to be a battle, and with everything surrounding their match against an EPC foe, there was bound to be some pressure.

“I worked with them, knowing that pressure just means opportunity, which is a good thing,” said Devine.

The Zephs responded with a convincing 6-1 win. The win raises their record to 7-4 in the EPC and 9-4 overall this year.

Devine said that they were able to seize the moment en route to their seventh win.

“I think they capitalized on that opportunity and I think that’s the biggest thing,” said Devine. “They went out there with a clear mind and played every point. We got behind on a lot of courts, but we didn’t let that effect the result. We didn’t stay down when they had us down.”

The match that illustrated that resiliency was the No. 2 doubles match featuring Emily Snyder and Samantha Nino. The duo weathered a three-set (with tiebreaker) marathon match to prevail against Julia Pan and Tina Zhang.

The pair won the first set 6-4, but fell behind early before pulling out the win. The Emmaus duo then won the second set 6-2, riding that momentum into the final set. Pan and Zhang were also in command of that third set, up 4-1, until Snyder and Nino staged a gritty comeback that ended with a 7-6 (7-3) tiebreaker win.

When they were down 4-1 in that final set, Devine pulled them aside and offered some encouragement.

“At that point, my girls kept battling and I told them to forget about everything and the match starts now. It’s not too late at 4-1. That match wasn’t over yet and they really battled to the end.”

That comeback was fueled by the consistent shot-making ability of Snyder and Nino, with Snyder making some clutch points at the net, while Nino was finding some winners along the baseline.

The Zephs also had strong performances from No. 1 singles player Emily Yenser and No. 2 singles player Celine Asmar. Yenser defeated Kennedy Spencer, 6-4, 6-2, while Asmar beat Michelle Gunn, 6-1, 6-0.

The pair also combined for a convincing doubles match over that same Hornets tandem, 6-4, 6-0.

Yenser, who now occupies the No. 1 spot, was consistent from the baseline in her match against Spencer. She had a number of extended volleys with Spencer, and won those points on a number of occasions with her ability to keep the pressure on her opponent by consistently putting the ball in play.

Asmar’s win at No. 2 keeps the senior on a terrific pace this season. She was 10-0 at No. 3 singles and is currently 2-1 at No. 2. She has demonstrated a knack for returning nearly every shot from her opponent this season.

“I think that the only thing that’s keeping me alive is the consistency,” said Asmar.

That consistency was on full display against Gunn. She continually frustrated the Green Hornet, forcing Gunn to take wild erratic shots with so much force they would land far out of bounds.

“You just have to keep calm and wait for the ball,” said Asmar. “You just have to return it and let them get frustrated. The more consistent you are, the more frustrated they’ll get.”

Playing at such a high level has her extremely excited given it’s her senior season. It’s also opened up Devine’s eyes.

“The biggest surprise for me this year has been Celine Asmar,” said Devine. “I didn’t know a whole lot about her as a player, and she’s just a warrior out there. She battles every ball, she gets every shot out, and she doesn’t make unforced errors.

“She’s playing really good tennis. She moves her feet really well, and she understands the risk in tennis, where if you try to hit the ball really hard, you’re going to miss every third ball. She doesn’t do that.”

The Zephs also got wins from Julia Solderitch and Nicole Peluso and No. 3 doubles. That tandem also weathered a long match, prevailing 7-6, 6-4. The No. 4 pairing of Teresa Nappo and Emma Garno also won, 7-5. 6-4.

It was a solid team effort that helped distance themselves from the Hornets.

“I think my players showed up mentally, and that was the biggest thing,” said Devine.