The Chapel Hill High School women’s tennis team wrapped up its season with a 9-7 overall record and an 8-4 record in the DAC-VII 4A Conference, securing third place behind East Chapel Hill High School and Jordan High School.
Junior Ada Wiltberger led in singles throughout the season. The team won every match played against Northern Durham High School on October 4 and went undefeated against Hillside High School on September 14 and 15. Sophomore Genevieve Lithgow and freshman Zoe Zhang made it to the state regional meet, along with Wiltberger.
Four freshmen joined the team this year, expanding the roster to 13 players.
“The season was super fun. All of us got along really well, and it was a really great experience to be a part of,” Zhang said.
Wiltberger won nine matches this season and enjoyed cheering on her new teammates.
“One of my favorite parts of the season was going to regionals with Genevieve and Zoe because it was their first time competing at that level and I was so proud of them,” Wiltberger said.
Wiltberger made it to regionals, where she won a singles match in two sets, beating her opponent from Lumberton 6-1 in the first set and 6-1 in the second.
Head Coach Neil Alderman said it has been many years since a Chapel Hill High School player has won a singles match at regionals—only one singles player qualified last year.
“This season was extremely fun and successful because so many of our players improved greatly, and we bonded so much more as a team compared to other years,” Wiltberger said.
Alderman, who with former teammate Edwin Caldwell won the doubles state championship in 1979 for Chapel Hill High School, praised Lithgow as this season’s most-improved player.
“[Lithgow] started not even in the top six and finished top three. She did well in doubles and made it to regionals,” Alderman said.
Lithgow competed in both singles and doubles matches. She teamed up with Zhang and Wiltberger, going undefeated in doubles play.
“This season was so great, but it went by so fast,” Lithgow said. “The most memorable parts were our dinners after matches and spending time with the team. Coach Alderman was such a blast as always.”
Zhang noted that she, too, enjoyed spending time with her teammates this season.
“One memorable moment was listening to Midnights with my teammates for the first time on the bus ride home from regionals,” Zhang said.
Team bonding aside, Alderman is happy with how his players performed.
“I believe we had a very fine season. The team had group chemistry, played hard, and represented themselves and the school well. I’m proud of how they performed,” Alderman said.
