The PHS girls varsity tennis team became state champions on October 15, 2026, after defeating Millburn High School in the Group 3 finals. The Tigers beat several top-tier teams throughout the tournament, including a previously-undefeated Shawnee High School and Montgomery High School in the sectional finals. The team built momentum into the state tournament by supporting one another during matches and securing vital wins early on in the season.
“[WWP] North is one of our toughest opponents, [WWP] South as well,” said Head Coach Sarah Hibbert. “Having a good win over North, a good win over South, being able to beat PDS, which is another tough rival, I definitely think it [gave] us some confidence.”
West Windsor-Plainsboro North and PHS have developed a heated rivalry over the last few years, often facing each other in state sectional finals. This year’s win came down to the wire with a 14–12 third-set tiebreak win by the first doubles team to decide the match 3–2.
Players on the team agreed that cheering one another on and building a strong team bond throughout the season helped to secure these early-season wins. By supporting each other during matches, players motivated one another while bringing the team closer.
PafM“One of my favorite memories was my match [away] at PDS,” said Amelia Huang ’29. “I was able to finish my match really early and ... cheer everyone else on.”
Learning from past seasons and matches, the players have also tried to avoid putting too much pressure on themselves while playing. In their experience, this often led to many unintended mental and physical problems during their matches. Instead, they focused on staying calm and present and competing for themselves, rather than worrying about what the score was. Co-captain Phoebe Decker ’27 emphasized this when talking about her goals for the season.
“[My goal is] just to have fun,” said Decker. “It’s my senior year so I just want to make it memorable and not put too much pressure on myself.”
These tactics have also proven to be useful in the team’s matches in the individual state tournament. The team’s first doubles pair, Sophia Bruhn ’27 and Ksenia Petukh ’27, made it to the quarter-finals in the individual doubles state tournament this year. First doubles has proved to be one of the most dominant components of the team this year. The team’s second doubles pair was also able to qualify for the state tournament as a wild card.
“I think that our team has really bonded this year, especially our first doubles,” said Decker. “They’ve worked together really well.”
Overall, this year’s roster has shown that a strong start to the season and a solid team bond are instrumental factors that can lead to a positive record. Their success in both the team and individual state tournaments has redefined the girls tennis program.