Oak Park and River Forest High School junior Lucy Stein has qualified for the IHSA Class 2A state girls’ tennis singles finals in each of her first two seasons, including a sixth-place finish last fall. If this season’s results are any indication, she has the potential of finishing even higher this fall.
Stein entered the week with a 20-1 record, the only loss coming back on Sept. 9 to CJ Coan of York. At the Prospect Invite, Sept. 27, she won the #1 singles title, defeating Elizabeth Boege of Glenbrook North 6-0, 6-1 in the final. It marked Stein’s third invitational championship this season, adding to titles she won at Buffalo Grove and Deerfield.
“She played a lot over the summer and did a lot in terms of building her game,” said OPRF coach Fred Galluzzo. “She wanted to do some different things on the court, and she’s obviously done that.”
Galluzzo added that it would not be a surprise if Stein and Coan met again in next month’s West Suburban Silver tournament, which will take place at OPRF.
“They know each other’s game so well,” Galluzzo said. “It’s kind of crazy because they’re playing themselves each time they’re out. Lucy will get another shot at her, but regardless, she should get a good seed in the [state] tournament, based on sectional results.”
As a team, OPRF is having another solid year, posting an 8-5-1 record in duals. The Huskies have gotten contributions from sophomore Ella Rangsithienchai (9-11) at second singles, as well as junior Ava Lebovitz and seniors Tess Cronin, Clara Lau, and Zoe Panton in doubles.
“Ella has been doing better since she struggled a little bit early, playing some big names,” Galluzzo said. “Ava and Clara have played together quite a bit (as number one doubles). They’ve had some good results, but also some not-so-good. They’re playing a little better every time out, and I hope we can get them qualified for the state tournament.
“Our second doubles team has Zoe and Tess,” he added. “I’m a little bit more confident in their chances of qualifying for state.”
The Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, and Prospect invitationals are loaded with a lot of the state’s players and schools participating. Galluzzo entered the Huskies in those tournaments so they could prepare for the WSC Silver meet and a Class 2A sectional, the latter of which the school will host again this year.
Oak Park and River Forest’s Ava Lebovitz follows through on a return shot while playing number one doubles with Clara Lau against Lyons Township during a West Suburban Conference match Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Wednesday Journal) 
Oak Park and River Forest’s Clara Lau plays number one doubles with Ava Lebovitz against Lyons Township during a West Suburban Conference match Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Wednesday Journal)
“We like those tournaments,” he said.
In regard to the WSC Silver, Galluzzo says Hinsdale Central is likely to win the title again. He’s hoping that his team’s steadily improving play will show in the postseason.
“We’re about where I expected to be,” Galluzzo said. “We’re struggling a little bit, but we’re learning and generally getting better every weekend. We’re just going to do the best we can with our lineups and hopefully get through.”