Special season for Hewlett tennis

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Rachel Arbitman captured her second consecutive Nassau County singles title before helping to lead Hewlett girls’ tennis to its first-ever county finals appearance this week.

The sophomore second-year varsity player admitted to feeling pressure to win as the No. 1 ranked player in the tournament on Oct. 14 as she defeated Calista Sha of Friends Academy (6-1, 6-4) to repeat as champion.

“Even though people were telling me that they expected me to win this year, I would block that out, not take anything lightly and know what I need to do,” Arbitman said. “And I did it.”

Arbitman earned one of Hewlett’s three points in a 4-3 loss to No. 2 Syosset in the finals Monday at Eisenhower Park. Hewlett’s hopes came down to third singles Nyla Gershfeld, a seventh-grade varsity newcomer who lost a grueling, three-hour match (6-3, 7-6) to Syosset senior Sarah Wang. The decisive game featured 21 tiebreakers.

“For a seventh-grader, Nyla was composed and played her heart out,” Hewlett fourth-year coach Abby Samlin said. “It was really intense.”

While Hewlett’s four doubles teams were a work in progress this year and stepped up their play in the postseason, only second doubles and All-County selections sophomore Nicole Pinkus and freshman Nila Katsman earned one point in the finals, proving the difference.

The 12-6 Lady Bulldogs placed fourth in their first season competing in elite Conference I after winning Conference II-A in 2017, when they lost in the quarterfinals to Port Washington. Hewlett fell 4-3 to No. 1 Port Washington in this year’s season opener and 5-2 on Sept. 28. But the Lady Bulldogs overcame the reigning and undefeated county champs, 5-2, on their homecourt in the program’s first semifinals match Oct. 18.

Fourth doubles freshman Sophia Karmazin and junior Lauren Ledon struggled this season but the tandem played steadily and started the scoring against the Vikings in the match.

Senior second singles and All-County honoree Gabriella Sciarrotta defeated Andrea Martinez (6-3, 6-3), and Arbitman downed Thea Rabman (6-0, 6-2) in the deciding game.

“No one thought that we could beat Port, teachers, my friends — everyone thought we were going to lose,” Arbitman said. “But somehow we found it in us and won our match.”

Now, as Hewlett looks ahead, they will lose Sciarrotta, their captain who posted a 19-1 record this season thanks to her power forehand and backhand strokes, when she leaves for Queens College on a scholarship next year.

“Gabby has really been a wonderful, inspirational leader to us,” Samlin said. “She’s been in Rachel’s shadow the last two years, but she’s been the heart and soul of the team.”

A relative unknown as a fourth-seeded first-time varsity freshman last season, yet nationally ranked by the United States Tennis Association, Arbitman racked up a 20-0 record as the undisputed No. 1 seed this season. She will compete this weekend in the state tournament, where she lost her only match in 2017.

“Rachel is like every coach’s dream,” her coach said. “She’s just a great team player, her mechanics, skills and work ethic are unbelievable, and she loves being on the team and has a great attitude.”