A quarterfinalist in WPIAL Class AAA the past two seasons, the Mt. Lebanon High School girls' tennis team is hoping to achieve at least that this season.

"We've got a nice, well-balanced team in that we've got some very good seniors as well as juniors and sophomores and one freshman," second-year coach Steve Viviano said. "I'm happy with the chemistry that we have. The combination we have so far has been playing very well."

The Blue Devils had won 10 of their first 11 Section 4-AAA matches and 13 of 15 overall heading into yesterday, when it was scheduled to play unbeaten Upper St. Clair with the section title on the line.

Mt. Lebanon's only defeats overall have been to defending WPIAL champion Shady Side Academy in a non-section match and to rival Upper St. Clair, another team that was a WPIAL semifinalist a year ago.

Included in the Blue Devils' victories are winning the Altoona tournament.

"Overall, the girls are playing very well," Viviano said. "They showed that at the Altoona tournament, and our match with Upper St. Clair was very close. The season's been a big positive thus far.

"Hopefully, this will continue through to the second half of the season. We're looking forward to competing in the section as well as in WPIALs."

Mt. Lebanon returned four starters from a team that was section-runner up last season. Chief among them is junior Carly Small, who again is playing first singles.

Small was excellent last season in winning the section singles tournament title and qualifying for the WPIAL Class AAA singles tournament for the second consecutive season.

"She's a very powerful player with a very good serve, a powerful serve and her groundstrokes are very good," Viviano said.

"She works year-round with her own trainer. She has very good skills, polished skills."

Small is currently ranked No. 20 among girls 18 and under in the USTA's Middle States Region covering Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and parts of West Virginia.

She didn't compete in the section singles tournament, however, because of a flexor injury.

Two of her teammates played in the section singles tournament, however. Sarah Baich, who plays second singles, finished as the section runner-up to Upper St. Clair's Claudia Escribens. She lost in the first round of the WPIAL tournament. Also, Rachel Palmieri finished fourth in the section singles tournament.

Baich is also ranked among the top 100 in the Middle States region.

"Sarah understands the game very well," Viviano said. "She knows how to play the game. And she also has a very strong forehand and a good backhand."

Small and Baich teamed together last season to win the section doubles title and came within one match of qualifying for the PIAA Class AAA tournament. They advanced to the WPIAL semifinals before losing, but won the consolation match. The top two in the WPIAL are invited to the PIAAs.

Presuming Small is healthy enough, she and Baich plan to team again this year for the section doubles tournament, which is scheduled to take place today at Mt. Lebanon.

In team play, Baich was undefeated in section matches before yesterday, as was Palmieri, the third singles player.

A junior, Palmieri has improved markedly since last season, Viviano said.

Senior Emily McGinty and freshman Claire Healy are playing first doubles. McGinty teamed with Healy's sister, Katie, who has graduated, to become a WPIAL doubles quarterfinalist last season.

Senior Brianna Laffey and sophomore Eva Varotsis are playing second doubles. Senior Caitlyn Duffy and junior Alison Decker form a reserve doubles team, and senior Jessica Mewkalo fills in on occasion at third singles.

The Blue Devils are scheduled to play Upper St. Clair Oct. 9 in the last scheduled match of the regular season. If things hold true to form, that match could decide the section title and the favorable seed in the WPIAL tournament that comes with it.

"Hopefully, it will come down, if everything stays status quo, to that last match to determine the section champion," Viviano said. "Upper St. Clair is the team that has been winning our section [title], the one that we have to defeat if we want one ourselves."