Heading into the 2021 girls tennis season, it was understood the Emmaus Hornets had the potential to compete for an East Penn Conference title.

Through the team’s first six matches this season the Hornets have turned that potential into dominating wins, starting the season 6-0. Emmaus has been so good its won 39 of 40 matches for head coach Robert Dragotta, who is now in his third season at the helm of the EHS girls tennis program.

“I am very pleased with the play of our team,” said Dragotta. “All our players have worked hard in the winter, spring and summer and they improved greatly. We have played well, but have not faced the strong teams except for Southern Lehigh.”

In their 7-0 triumph at Pleasant Valley last Thursday, the Hornets singles contingent played solid tennis. Number one Jocelyn Chow defeated Brianna Noel 6-2, 6-0, while number two Shelby Carter downed Ashley Kovacs 6-0, 6-2, and number three Riley Stuckey

had no trouble with the Bears’ Jordan Rosenburg.

The Hornet doubles teams also have played outstanding tennis during the season’s first two weeks.

Second doubles team Peyton McGlory and Lisa Duerholz controlled Pleasant Valley’s Kassidy Schupp and Brianca Priaham 6-1, 6-0, while third doubles Teya Gougoustamous and Indira Tiatirola served and volleyed to a victory over Molly Schaffner and Carley Rehrig 6-1, 6-0. Alyssa Mugavero and Kate Smith had little trouble in their number four match against Kristen Rakowski and Emily Gately 6-0, 6-2.

Another Hornet duo - Anna Lyons and Maddie Everett also received some playing time in a 8-0 victory.

“All of our players can hit the shots to win,” said Dragotta.

Dragotta’s club has gone through the opposition like a hot knife through butter, beating East Stroudsburg North, Liberty, Whitehall and Nazareth each 7-0. Only Southern Lehigh on Aug. 26 managed to avoid a shutout in a 4-1 Emmaus triumph. The Spartans’ Evelyn Wang downed the talented Chow 6-2, 6-3. Carter and Stuckey were also pressed, but managed to win their matches without losing a set. In their doubles contest, McGlory and Duerholz defeated Southern Lehigh’s Sophia Delp and Ava Ashworth 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in the afternoon’s most contested match.

“We played a great match against Southern Lehigh in the heat,” Dragotta said.

The future also appears bright for Emmaus.

“We have 18 players on junior varsity and they played their first match last Thursday against Pleasant Valley’s junior varsity. Everyone played well,” Dragotta said.