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28 THE LONG ISLAND ADVANCE - OCTOBER 8, 2015

WILLIAM FLOYD _____________________________________________________________________________________

Colonials girls tennis team dominates opponents


BY JIM FURLONG
Their tennis team owns a combined 34-1
won-loss record the last two years.
The William Floyd varsity girls are a juggernaut against Suffolk County high school
opponents.
Blending a roster packed with talented,
determined girls and directed by a longtime astute coach who keeps providing
instruction and encouragement, the Colonials aim to repeat as the county champions. Coach Dave Pias squad is ranked
No. 1 for more than 100 Long Island prep
teams by the NEWSDAY sports staff.
The 2015 Colonials show a 15-0 season
record (the best in Nassau and Suffolk)
after beating Westhampton Beach 7-0 on
Monday. They are the No. 1 seed when the
county playoffs start Oct. 16.
I think our motivation is we won last
year. . . . And our coach, he tells us we have
a goal this year to continue what we are
doing, said junior Emily Fernandez, who
excels at No. 1 singles.
Four leaders for singles have a combined 51-9 individual record: Emily Fernandez, undefeated Brooke Fernandez,
undefeated Zoe DaSilva and eighth-grader
Alyssa Drell.
I am very happy and pleased so far. . . . I
thought (2015) was going to be a transition
year because we graduated three all-state
players and two all-county players, said
Pia. We had seven new players coming up
from the (2014) JV who have never played
a varsity match before. In fact, its the
most I ever brought up in one season in my
career at Floyd.
The Colonials practice year round. We
worked very hard over the summer . . . The
players were very dedicated and focused,
said the coach.
Outstanding (results) and leadership

The 2015 William Floyd Colonials varsity tennis team (back row, left to right): Coach Dave Pia, Delaney Kane, Kaitlin Hibbert, Emily
Fernandez, Hailey Loughlin, Brooke Fernandez and Kasey Hammel. Front row, left to right: Brianna Gonzalez, Alyssa Drell, Sarah Mazzarella, Zoe DaSilva and Lisa Linn. Not pictured Chloe DeGrauw.
Courtesy photo.

from our returning players, Emily and


Brooke Fernandez, Zoe DaSilva, Lisa Linn
and Kaitlin Hibbert, have made us tough
to beat.
Linn and Hibbert are undefeated during
No. 1 doubles. Two sophs, Delany Kane
and Chloe DeGrauw, also have doubles
victories. Hailey Loughlin and Brianna
Gonzalez are 14-1 at No. 3 doubles. Two
juniors, Kasey Hammel and Sarah Mazzarella, are also 14-1 at No. 2.

The Colonials advanced to the playoffs


for the 13th consecutive year.
We are so close and we support each
other. I try to help the others out, said
Emily Fernandez, in her fourth varsity season. This year we have an advantage. . . .
We dont look intimidating when we come
out, but we prove it when we play.
Pia has built an exceptional team history
like the William Floyd varsity football
program.

Over the last 14 years, we have built a


strong and winning tradition for the girls
tennis program, said Pia. The new girls
know they have an obligation and duty to
maintain the winning tradition for the girls
who preceded them. That requires hard
work, dedication and a commitment to
year round playing.
I tell them a simple truth: all things are
possible with hard work and discipline.

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