By Cody Reid-Dodick ’13, Sports Editor

The Newark Academy’s Women’s Tennis Program is officially back. After a short, one-season hiatus from their normal dominating ways, the team, one of N.A.’s most celebrated, has returned to its comfort zone: the top of the pack.

Although by no means a disaster, the 2009 Minutemen campaign definitely strayed slightly from the team’s victorious expectations. At 7-7 in Conference play, they failed to post a winning record for the first time since 2006, and also came up well short of their overall wins total in both 2007 and 2008. This year, it was about regaining the squad’s “swagger”.

That’s exactly what has happened.

In just over half the season, the Minutemen have already bettered their conference wins total from last year, and own a 13-3 total record that puts them amongst the state’s elite. They reached the Essex County Tournament final, and are a favorite in the Non-Public B State Championship. Furthermore, the team’s only three defeats have all come at the hand of public powerhouse Millburn, and they’ve managed to pick up wins against solid programs like Glen Ridge and Montclair Kimberley.

Some have attributed this redemptive success to an infusion of youth, and others to senior leadership. Rachel Greene ’13, a standout doubles player, believes it’s a combination of both. “I think we have a perfect mixture of girls that make up the team,” she said. “On one hand we’re young and exciting, but we’re also gifted with a fantastic nucleus of really steady senior leaders. That’s been the secret.”

The youth Greene speaks of has come most obviously in the form of Becca Gorelov ’14, who has taken the state by storm as a rare freshman second singles player. Gorelov won her first four matches, and continues to be a force alongside Molly Alter in singles play. The second youngest starter is Greene herself, who has been a reliable doubles player for the entire season.

The veteran leadership has been less spectacular, but just as abundant. Emily Heller ’11 has been the team’s “glue” as a captain, Katie Bu ’11 has been a reliable singles player, and Sasha Reznikova ’11, Allie Cohen ’12, and Emma Baumgartner ’11 have all become experienced doubles contributors.

With significant talent bound by impeccable leadership, excitement, and teamwork, results have flowed. The Minutemen have officially proven that 2009 was simply a hiccup in an otherwise immaculate stretch of success.