This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
07/07/2016 12:00 AMFor the second time in three years, Sabrina Colonese-DiBello went through an entire season without losing a single match, while cementing herself as one of the most-dominant doubles players in Tigers’ tennis history.
Sabrina, who recently graduated from Daniel Hand High School, took up tennis in 5th grade before coming to the Tigers. Following an undefeated sophomore year with partner Ryann Corniello for SCC Division I champion Hand, Sabrina was once again on the winning side of every match this season competing alongside fellow senior Sheila Flaherty at No. 2 doubles. The tandem finished with a record of 23-0 and played a vital role in Hand advancing to the SCC DI and Class M State Tournament finals. Sabrina leaves the Tigers with a career mark of 54-3.
“The both of us just worked really hard and helped each other out there while we were playing,” says Sabrina. “We just kept practicing hard and it was really nice to accomplish the undefeated year. It showed that all the work, including in the offseason, paid off.”
Sabrina believes that a big reason why Flaherty and her played so well together is the fact that they were often the aggressors on the court. Sabrina and Flaherty were constantly getting after their competition and got better at that as the season progressed.
“We were always trying to go for the net. We started out the year rough, but we were always going for the points and started to get very consistent throughout the year,” Sabrina says. “I think I’m more of a power hitter. I just try to hit the ball as hard as I can.”
Head Coach Kitty Palmer says there are few athletes who are more dedicated to supporting her teammates and care about Hand’s overall success than Sabrina. That type of attitude fortified Sabrina’s rank as one of the club’s captains.
“Sabrina was our most-vocal leader who was loud and supportive of her doubles partners and her teammates. A co-captain this season, she and Sheila just refused to lose,” says Palmer. “I never doubted her effort every day, her love of the game, and her wish that her teams would be successful. Always full of fun, Sabrina will really be missed.”
The feelings are mutual for Sabrina, who attributes a great deal of her personal achievements, as well as the Tigers’ accomplishments, to Coach Palmer.
“As a team, we owe so much of our success to Coach Palmer,” says Sabrina. “She pushes us really hard and she really knows how to make us play to the best of our abilities.”
Sabrina appreciates how the unity amongst the Tigers fostered a positive atmosphere that motivated her to give her all on the court. Now that her time with Hand girls’ tennis is finished, Sabrina feels sad to be saying good-bye, although she’s thankful for all the connections she’s made for the past four years.
“The team grew really close and, because of that, we had fun and looked forward to practice, which helped us work even harder,” says Sabrina, who thanks her parents, Dawn Colonese and Paul DiBello, along with Palmer, Flaherty, and Corniello. “It was amazing to be here at Hand. I’m upset because this is my last year, but I had so much fun with these girls. They’re friends I’ll always have.”