The goal is to get to Chocolate World. The Lady Hawks have done just that the last two seasons, winning the WPIAL title in 2023 and earning a respectable WPIAL silver finish in 2024. Both campaigns culminated in trips to the Hershey Racquet Club for the PIAA state tournament.
The 2025 Hawks squad is poised for yet another trip to Hershey. The girls have continued to soar above the competition, capturing the program’s sixth section title this season. The Hawks are (14-0) on the year, with two massive 3-2 wins over Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon.
In the Upper St. Clair match, junior Mackenzie Smock earned an important win at second singles, while Cassie Sierka and Keira Ross easily dispatched the USC tandem at first doubles.
With the match tied 2-2, it came down to a fierce battle in the first singles match, in which junior Cami Fisher won a three-set victory over the very formidable Brianna Kuczinski, to seal the 3-2 Bethel Park victory.
“I was very proud of our team’s performance; we fought very hard, and everyone gave 100% the entire time,” said Fisher.
In the Mt. Lebanon contest, Fisher and first doubles earned key wins again, and freshman Hadley Murello stepped up and iced the Blue Devils with an enormous win at third singles to catapult the Hawks to a 3-2 triumph.
“After the Lebo match, I felt that I had played really well, and I was happy with my result. I’m so proud of our team as well. We rally around each other in support, and I love being part of that,” Murello said.
This year’s team features senior captain Keira Ross (15-1), a four-year letterwinner, who has excelled on the doubles court, alongside junior Cassie Sierka (15-1), a three-year starter for the Hawks.
“Cassie and Keira are a key component of our team’s success, as they are often able to grab the first win of the match, boosting the rest of the lineup’s confidence,” Fisher explained.
Fisher (21-1), a three-time state qualifier, added more hardware to her collection by capturing the section singles title for the second consecutive year and earning another bronze medal at the WPIAL singles tournament.
Smock (20-4), a three-year starter, and Murello (19-3) paired together at the section doubles tournament, finishing runner-up, and then captured the bronze medal at the WPIAL doubles tournament to punch their ticket to states.
“For how short of a time Mackenzie and I have been playing together, I think we have a lot of synergy. We complement each other very well. I am honored to be her partner,” Murello explained.
Freshman Julia Ross (9-4) often pairs up with sophomore Mia Hogue (3-0) or senior captain Samira Gorman (4-4) to handle second doubles duties. Seniors Laura Casaldi, Elliett Briggs, Grace Perdziola, and Maddie Masztek have also contributed to the team’s success this season, always providing positive leadership and high energy.
The WPIAL playoffs begin on Monday, Oct. 6, as No. 2-seeded Bethel Park will host the No. 15-seeded Baldwin Highlanders at 3 p.m.