Tennis team finishes strong, successful season

The Goshen Girls Varsity Tennis team capped off a successful season with an 11–3 record, earning third place in the conference and demonstrating steady improvement from start to finish.

Out of 16 total players, three doubles teams (Delia McGovern/Emma Shurter, Bailey Gromulka/Cynthia Gurda and Abby Warland/Marty Butryn) and one singles player (Jillian Pucci) qualified for the county tournament. One doubles team of freshman Delia McGovern and senior Emma Shurter advanced all the way to the state level competition, a highlight achievement for the program.

“I was happy. We had a good season,” said Head Coach Kenny Soroka, who wrapped up his 23rd and final season coaching for the Gladiators. “We counted every match as a learning experience to build ourselves up, and by halfway through the season, we were really starting to look good.”

That growth was on full display in the team’s final match of the season, when Goshen earned a 5-2 win over Cornwall, a team that had defeated them earlier in the year. The victory underscored how far the players had come.

“Cornwall is always a big competitor for us,” Soroka said. “That match showed how much the team had improved.”

With seven seniors graduating - including captains Emma Shurter and Jillian Pucci - the Gladiators will have some big shoes to fill next season. Still, the foundation of hard work and teamwork built over the years under Soroka promises a bright future for Goshen tennis.