The 2019 Emmaus girls tennis season featured progress and improvement. After an 8-10 regular season record in 2018, the Green Hornets went 13-5 this year and played competitively in the postseason.

“I feel that we really improved over the course of the season, which is all you can ask a team to do,” said first-year head coach Robert Dragotta. “I am pleased with how much better a tennis team we are today compared to the beginning of the season.”

A talented and hard-working roster was led by number one singles player junior Mia Columbus, and number two singles player sophomore Jocelyn Chow. Junior Misa Hollinger played as the number three singles player.

The Hornets also received solid play from their doubles contingents. Junior Krissy Heilenman and sophomore Riley Stuckey regularly comprised the number two doubles squad. Senior Ivory Gao and sophomore Peyton McGlory worked together in another doubles team. Newcomer Shelby Carter worked with sophomore Teya Gougoustamos in another doubles squad.

Heading into the playoffs, the Hornets were seeded fifth in the District 11 3A team tournament. Emmaus saved one of its best performances for when it counted most, against a solid Liberty Hurricane squad in the quarterfinal round.

“Liberty was seeded fourth and we lost to Liberty 4-3 in the beginning of the season,” Dragotta said. “The match was a good test to see if we improved during the course of the season. Winning 3-2 in districts was a great win for Emmaus girls tennis. All of the girls played well and I was very proud of them.”

The postseason ride ended with a loss to the Parkland Trojans, the eventual district champion.

“Playing Parkland, the number one seeded team, was a good test to see what we need to do to get to that level,” Dragotta said. “We lost 4-1, but again we played well.”

In that match, Chow won her number two match for the Green Hornets only victory.

Dragotta was also adamant about pushing the Green Hornets to their best, taking matches against solid competition to press his Green Hornets.

“We practiced with Perkiomen Prep,” Dragotta said. “Their number one singles player is ranked in the top 300 in the country in her age group.”

The Green Hornets stepped up to the challenge.

“Mia won two games in an eight-game pro set. Jocelyn won her eight-game pro set at second singles, and Misa played her best tennis of the year, winning her eight-game pro set at third singles. All three doubles teams played well.”