Mercury All-Area: Methacton’s Alice Liang and Hana Nouaime stand up to pressure of expectation by repeating as PIAA doubles champions

A glance at this year’s girls tennis doubles playoff brackets might seem to indicate that Alice Liang and Hana Nouaime had an easy time of it as they swept every match in district play and lost just one set the entire time at the state level.

That was not the case, however, as each match brought its own set of challenges and the pressure to repeat as champions certainly did not make things any easier.

But the duo from Methacton used its familiarity with each other’s style of play and trust in each other to overcome every obstacle along the way.

They began with a Pioneer Athletic Conference championship, won the District 1 title and then finished up with their third straight PIAA Class 3A finals appearance and second consecutive state championship.

That impressive performance earned them a spot on the PAC All-Conference First Team and now selection as Mercury All-Area Girls Tennis Players of the Year.

“I don’t think any of the matches were easy,” said Liang, a senior. “We faced different difficulties.”

“”We had to rely on each other,” added junior Nouaime. “Especially the match against Parkland. That was definitely difficult.”

After playing singles at Nos. 1 and 2 for the Warriors during the regular season, the two teamed up beginning with the PAC playoffs and the pressure to repeat began.

“Coming into it, we were slightly worried in PAC’s,” said Liang. “I felt more pressure than my junior year. We had just lost the final (in 2021). We came back a little hungry.”

“I felt pressure regardless,” said Nouaime. “I felt I had high expectations for ourselves. I wanted to be at my best in the matches early on.”

After winning the PAC title, they lost only 14 games in eight sets while winning their third straight district championship.

Then after losing only three games in four sets during their first two state matches, they ran into the District 11 championship Parkland team of Leslie Warsing and Leah Zolotareva and had their toughest match of the postseason in a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win.

“They had some pretty good lobs,” said Liang. “We stayed steady and we were able to combine our faith in each other and our mental toughness.”

“I think it’s a lot of trust between each other,” said Nouaime. “We have to rely on each other.”

Then they finished other undefeated run through the postseason with a 6-1, 6-2 win at Hershey Racquet Club.

“I’m glad they got to do it together again,” said Methacton coach Jill Walker. “They work hard. They play a lot in the off-season. Their hard work really paid off.”

One of the keys to success was the fact that Liang’s and Nouaime’s games complemented each other.

“Staying back and being aggressive from the back line,” Nouaime said concerning her style of play. “Alice is able to hit a volley and close the point out. We added some more dimensions to our game. We were definitely more balanced.”

“I’m able to recognize balls at the net and commit,” Liang added. “I always feel more comfortable at the net.”
Walker pointed out the chemistry between the two.

“I know they were a little nervous because they felt a little pressure, having won it last year,” she said. “Amazing chemistry. That’s what pulled them through this year. Alice is awesome at the net. Hana can set her up well. It really clicks when they play points. They just get along. They find a way to pull each other together.”

And that chemistry that developed from having played together for such a long time gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.

“We have an unspoken understanding of where the other one is going to be,” said Liang.

“We’ve been so familiar with each other’s games since a young age,” added Nouaime. “I’m not sure anyone else on this team has a friendship this long.”