Second year a charm so far for Murphy

BY ANGELO VELOTTA
Gazette Newspapers

The second year is a charm so far for Jefferson native, and Geneva High School graduate, Louis Murphy.
In addition to being on the Edgewood High School tennis coaching staff, and teaching at Lakeside, Murphy is in his second year at the helm of both the Penn State Behrend Lions and Lady Lions tennis teams.
For a second straight year, the Lady Lions roared through the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate onference Championship postseason to win the finals, while also finishing first place in the conference.
“We knew teams were working around the clock to figure out how to beat us, since we had all but one player back, and we added a freshman,” Louis Murphy said.
Behrend would clinch the AMCC finals against another Penn State school in Altoona.
“If you win two-out-of-three doubles matches, you get the doubles point. They went up 1-0. Then we had six straight singles matches, and we were only winning on two courts, and losing on the other four courts,” Murphy recalled.
“All four courts came back to win,” he said of the Lady Lions having a triumphant comeback on October 19th to be named champions.
“It’s incredible we were able to do that. Part of coaching is moving the puzzle pieces in the right order, and the biggest thing is chemistry in doubles,” he added.
For his excellent leadership, Murphy was named the AMCC Coach of the Year for a second straight year.
“There’s no doubt he’s making his own path,” Lou Murphy said. Lou is Louis’s dad, and also has coached tennis for 39 years.
“I was talking with some coaches at Kent State, and they said he’s got the magic. Having the uncanny ability to communicate with players when they are under pressure,” Murphy said of his son.
“I’m very proud,” he added.
The team’s number one player, Tamanna Sharma, a native of Canada, was named the conference player of the year, and Lexa Murphy, the Lady Lions number five and new freshman from neighboring Harbor Creek, Pennsylvania, earned conference newcomer of the year also.
“I really enjoy it,” Murphy said.
“I think Edgewood is putting in time in the offseason, and I hope they get some motivation of that,” he added.
Edgewood tennis will start up near the end of March, and the Behrend Lions men’s tennis team will have their first match around that time as also. In the meantime, the Lions are playing some regional games this fall.
Congratulations to Louis Murphy on your continued success coaching.