This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
06/23/2016 12:00 AMJenna Pane stepped right into the varsity spotlight with two East Haven teams in her freshman year and she played a major role for each of them. In the fall, Jenna was a midfielder for Yellowjackets’ girls’ soccer, which had its best year in program history. On the girls’ tennis team, Jenna was the No. 1 singles player and finished with a winning record, while helping the club reach the SCC Division II Tournament.
“I was really proud of us this year. I think we did a really good job,” says Jenna. “It was exciting because we hadn’t reached that level before. I was very satisfied.”
Jenna finished with a 9-7 record for East Haven girls’ tennis this spring. She was also the lone Yellowjacket to claim a victory when the team took a 6-1 loss in the opening round of the SCC Torunament.
“I was disappointed we lost the match itself, but I was satisfied with myself because I was able to win,” Jenna says. “I was winning 5-2 in the second set and she hurt her shin somehow and had to forfeit.”
Stepping into the No. 1 singles position as a freshman is no easy task and so girls’ tennis coach Dave Oshana was proud of Jenna for how she handled herself at the top slot this season.
“What Jenna did as a freshman this season was truly commendable,” says Oshana. “To have a winning average in her first year at singles 1 speaks volumes of her athletic ability on the court.”
Jenna says she was nervous at the beginning of the year, but that her confidence on the court kept growing as the season unfolded.
“I wasn’t thinking I was going to be it. I was going to work my way up there and do the best that I could,” says Jenna. “It was exciting, but at the same time, I was nervous about it, especially in my first match because I hadn’t really done anything like that before for the high school.”
Jenna’s played soccer since she was four years old and has always been either a midfielder or a forward. Jenna believes that all the time she’s spent up front helped her spring East Haven’s forwards for more goals last season, when the Yellowjackets won the Oronoque Division title and set the program record for victories.
“It’s helped because I can see each player’s perspective on the game,” says Jenna. “When I’m either going for a run or passing to someone, I know what’s going on in their head, as well as mine.”
Jenna has been playing tennis since she was 10 and continues to play the sport throughout the year. That’s a major reason why she was able to handle the challenges of the No. 1 singles spot this season.
“I think because I’ve been playing year-round, I’ve been able to teach the other players things and be more comfortable,” says Jenna. “Since I play during the fall and I also play indoor, I’m able to stay fit all year.”
Even though she has a good amount of experience on the tennis court, Jenna notes that there are still some weak areas of her game. Her forehand is not one of those, however, as she frequently uses it to win points.
“I can really place my forehand much better than my backhand. In matches, I use my forehand and I’ll hit it cross court, lure them into the net, and, when they get to the net, I can hit it past them down the line,” says Jenna. “The strength in my forehand makes it easier to control the game more and control the opponent.”
Jenna feels ecstatic about winning nine matches as a freshman and knows that she’ll only get better if keeps working harder, while, hopefully, guiding the Yellowjackets even further in the postseason.
“I’m proud that I was able to reach that many wins and have the record that I did,” says Jenna. “I always know I can work harder to get more wins and get better at aspects I can improve on.”