Ilana Oleynik had to wait a long time to play her first match for the Palisades High girls varsity tennis squad and when she did finally get on the court Thursday against LACES her objective was to get off of it as quickly as possible. After all, she had a plane to catch.
Playing No. 1 singles, the senior easily won her pro set 8-0 at the Palisades Tennis Center and a few hours later she was on her way to the airport to take an official visit to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
“You can’t change the situation and this was the first match I’ve been available to play so I took the job seriously,” said Oleynik, who lives in the Highlands. “It felt nice to get out there and contribute.”
Oleynik was forced to sit out the first half of the season after transferring from Malibu High, where she led the Sharks to the Tri-Valley League title and the semifinals of the Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.
“She’s very sarcastic and so am I,” Coach Sean Passan said. “She can definitely play at the Division I level in college. We’re happy to have her. I just we had her all four years — it would’ve solved a lot of our lineup issues.”
Oleynik’s win set the tone for the rest of the match, which Palisades won 6-1 to stay undefeated in the Western League. Taylor Barfield won 8-1 at No. 2 singles and Lauren Neman won in a tiebreaker at No. 4 singles. Alicia Abramson lost 8-3 at No. 3 singles.
In doubles, Ally Williams and Morgan Swan won 8-0 at the top position, Jesse Zand and Olivia Stutman won 8-2 at No. 2 and Olivia Welch paired with Sarah Silvers to win 8-2 at No. 3.
Having already clinched the victory, Passan let freshman Caroline Vincent play doubles with junior Natasha Bure just for fun and they won 6-2 even with Vincent, a right-handed player, playing the entire set left-handed.
The reigning City Section champion Dolphins resume league Thursday at home versus Venice.
— Steve Galluzzo
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