J.P. Stevens' Yu is the Home News Tribune 2017 Girls Tennis Player of the Year
There was a line of girls on the other side of the net, stretching from the beginning to the end of the fall tennis season, united in their determination to beat Elizabeth Yu.
Match after match, they brought their ground games, their net games and their A-games.
But try as they might -- with all their might -- they couldn’t figure out a way to beat her.
The J.P. Stevens sophomore rose up to meet every challenge at first singles.
She didn’t drop a game in the season-opening victory against Perth Amboy, lost only one game in a dominant performance at the September Smash tournament at Livingston and didn’t lose a set all season until her epic 6-4, 3-6, 18-16 victory over Red Bank Catholic’s Julie Moschella in the fourth round of the state singles tournament.
No, it wasn’t until the quarterfinal round of the state singles tournament did she finally falter. Looking back at her 26-1 season, The Home News Tribune’s GMC Girls Tennis Player of the Year says her confidence surged as the victories mounted.
“For me personally, it’s an awesome feeling to know I came back stronger this season because I learned from my mistakes of last season and I improved a lot over the year,” said Yu, who went 26-3 as a freshman.
“Every match that she played, I was thinking, ‘OK, this is going to be a roadblock now. Something is going to come between her and an undefeated record,’” J.P. Stevens coach Ellen Pisano said. “She’s had so many tough matches. She’s had so many easy matches and all in all, she just comes out with the W. As she continued, I thought she would feel the pressure of being undefeated. I think she just felt more confident with that.”
Yu and Pisano point to her victory in the county tournament as a watershed moment. Yu, who lost to Metuchen’s Erika Rems in the finals in 2016, defeated Pauline Kharkover of Old Bridge, 6-2, 6-1, in a battle of lefties. Yu’s effort helped the Hawks win their second consecutive GMC tournament title.
“It was definitely a confidence boaster,” Yu said. “It showed to myself I can do it, I can just play like anything, I can face anything.”
Yu found valuable help navigating the inevitable ups and downs of a long season right in her own home.
Her older brother, Jon, is seven years older and knows a thing or two about playing high school tennis at a high level. He is the former captain of the J.P. Stevens team, and Elizabeth would go watch him play sometimes. He’s the reason she got into the sport. She remembers him patiently hitting balls with her when she was just starting out.
He proudly posted a photo of them on social media moments after she won the GMC title.
“He’s really helped me through a lot,” she said. “He would hit with me, and it’s just amazing to have someone older to turn to that has experience with the sport.”
Her dad, Jeffrey, is always there, too. When it’s suggested that he seems like her second coach, she stops the conversation, laughs and says, “He would probably be the first.”
Elizabeth says Dad is always there with encouragement and advice.
“The best advice he ever gave me?” she said. “He just says to not care about who your opponent is and play like you have nothing to lose.”
There’s a sense that Yu has some unfinished business come next fall. Until then, she will continue to hone her craft at Garden State Tennis Center, seek out the best competition on the United States Tennis Association circuit and count the days until she is reunited with her fellow Hawks.
“I look forward to getting even further in states and returning back to the team,” she said, “because I don’t see them that often, but when we’re together, it’s awesome.”
2017 ALL-GMC GIRLS TENNIS
As selected by the coaches
Elizabeth Yu, J.P. Stevens; Phoebe Su, East Brunswick; Lexi Roshkovan, East Brunswick; Ishani Kulkarni, J.P. Stevens; Divya Talesra, J.P. Stevens; Anjali Gupta, J.P. Stevens; Anjana Goteti, J.P. Stevens; Amy Cui, East Brunswick; Pauline Kharkover, Old Bridge; Erika Rems, Metuchen; Srinithi Kannan, J.P. Stevens.
Coach of the Year: Dana Curcio, South Plainfield.
ALL-RED DIVISION
Elizabeth Yu, J.P. Stevens; Phoebe Su, East Brunswick; Lexi Roshkovan, East Brunswick; Ishani Kulkarni, J.P. Stevens; Divya Talesra, J.P. Stevens; Anjali Gupta, J.P. Stevens; Anjana Goteti, J.P. Stevens; Amy Cui, East Brunswick; Pauline Kharkover, Old Bridge; Srinithi Kannan, J.P. Stevens; Neelima Jvothiraj, Piscataway.
Sportsmanship: New Brunswick.
Coach of the Year: Craig Wood, Old Bridge
ALL-WHITE DIVISION
Brianna Davis, Woodbridge; Sydney Kuo, Wardlaw-Hartridge; Stephanie VanNote, Sayreville; Jasmine VanNote, Sayreville; Nirali Patel, Sayreville; Kathleen Beben, Sayreville; Erin Tan, North Brunswick; Liana Masangkay, Sayreville; Kate Sudol, Sayreville; Brittany Wilson, Wardlaw-Hartridge; Shrusti Sheth, Sayreville.
Sportsmanship: Woodbridge.
Coach of the Year: Dana Curcio, South Plainfield
ALL-BLUE DIVISION
Erika Rems, Metuchen; Isabelle Hong, Metuchen; Rachel Powlen, Highland Park; Louise Lu, Highland Park; Tiffany Liang, Highland Park; Laura Knecht, Metuchen; Katie Hong, Metuchen; Kate Ruskuski, Dunellen; Diana Chis, Highland Park; Ilakiya Udhayakumar, Metuchen; Gabby Alexander, Mother Seton.
Sportsmanship: Colonia.
Coach of the Year: Highland Park