Lillie Weiss and Lola Dangin first met on the tennis court when they were 7 and 8 years old, attending different elementary schools but taking part in the Ross School’s after-school tennis program.
Fast-forward to the 2025-26 school year: Now at Ross together, Dangin and Weiss are a powerhouse pair who had an undefeated season playing doubles together. Not only did they finish with a 19-0 record — including a near-perfect performance in which they lost just one set all season long, in a nonleague game against Half Hollow Hills East — but they also took home the Division IV and Suffolk County doubles championship titles. And on Monday afternoon, they were to travel to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the New York State High School Athletic Association championships.
Rafaela Santos, their coach, said Dangin and Weiss complement each other’s strengths on the court. And, Santos said, “they are ready to go.”
“They match each other’s game,” she said. “Lola is good at the baseline and Lillie is good at the net. They’re competitive and have a great energy on the court.”
When Dangin was little, her mom encouraged her to try “everything.”
“Dance, tennis, swim, soccer, horseback riding — I tried everything out, but I fell in love with tennis,” she said. “It stuck with me.”
And for Weiss, tennis is a family affair. “My dad played in college, so he was the inspiration for me,” she said. “He started hitting balls with me when I was a little kid. I fell in love with the sport and started training.”
Both Dangin, a sophomore from East Hampton, and Weiss, a freshman from Sagaponack, played singles before this season. When they’re not practicing, they also work on their endurance with fitness training.
The players agreed their friendship and the positive attitude they share have contributed to their success as a doubles team. “We encourage each other,” Weiss said. “It’s like a safe space for us — we really like playing together.”
“We high-five after every point,” Dangin added.
While the state tournament on Monday was to be a new experience for Weiss, Dangin has been there before. As an eighth grader, she took part as a singles player.
“It’s really empowering” to be undefeated headed into the state tournament, Weiss said. “We feel strong.”
The Ross School tennis team aced and volleyed its way to a 14-0 regular season record, though its run came to an end in the Suffolk County team tournament on Saturday, falling 3-4 to Bayport-Blue Point. But Santos said she was proud of the way they played.
“This season was amazing,” she said. The team’s record “shows how hard the girls worked all season. We had 11 players qualify for the individual divisions — that’s huge for our program.”
The doubles pair of Olivia Caruso, a sophomore, and Julia M., a junior, finished in fourth place in the division competition and seventh in the Suffolk County individual championships. Brooke Saracco, also a sophomore, won first place in the division and placed fifth in the county.
“They’ve grown so much, supported each other, and truly played as a team all season,” Santos said.
