After 20 years at the helm of the Roslyn High School girls varsity tennis coach, Lynn Jacobson is retiring. Her final season, like most during her tenure, was a memorable one. The Lady Bulldogs went undefeated, sporting a 16-0 record while winning their second consecutive Nassau County championship.

This year's county title was the ninth during Ms. Jacobson's reign. The dynasty also includes 10 conference championships. In the 20 years she coached, the Lady Bulldogs rang up a record of 258 wins with only 46 losses. Other Nassau County titles came in 1982 (her first year), 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 2000.

The Lady Bulldogs, Ms. Jacobson observed, play in Nassau County's most competitive tennis conference. The team has remained in the top conference because of the obvious strength of the program. Throughout the years, many players have gone on to compete in statewide tournaments. For instance, last year's doubles team of Jen Sussman and Tara DeVito won the Nassau County doubles title before competing in the state tournament. Other Roslyn players who have participated in state tournaments include: Jodi Cutler, Jen Soltz, Meryl Horowitz, Johanna Berkson, Jamie Kohn, Alison Dick, Dana Teitel, Elisa Strauss, Julie Klein, Kelly Granat, and Rachel Kohn.

"I have coached extremely talented players, many of whom have gone on to play at the collegiate level," Ms. Jacobson said. "My coaching philosophy throughout the years has been to put strength in the four doubles teams. Singles players on any given day can either win or lose, especially when playing in the most competitive conference in Nassau County. By strengthening your doubles team, you take pressure off the singles players. The key is to have depth in your lineup. A team can't be a winner if it has only a few top players."

Over the years, Ms. Jacobson's players have been guided by a simple philosophy. "If you walk on the court with a winning attitude, you'll walk off the court a winner," she tells her players.

"The only thing I've ever asked of any of my players is to do the best they can when they play," Ms. Jacobson continued. "If they can say they did their best when they finish the match, it doesn't matter if they won or lost."

Of course, most of the time that effort ended up in victory. This year's undefeated champions were led by Amanda Berck (first singles), Jessica Kramer (second singles), and Alison Goldstein (third singles). On the doubles side, the first team is comprised of sisters Lauren and Danielle Sheeler. Second doubles were made up of another sister team, twins Jaimie and Stacie Glick. Lauren Schorr and Allison Wainstock completed the third doubles team, while Sloane Klonsky and Dana Greebel represented the fourth team.

Ms. Jacobson said only five players from this year's squad will be graduating. Ms. Berck and Ms. Goldstein, for instance, will be rising juniors for the 2002 season. No successor to Ms. Jacobson has yet been named, but it appears the Lady Bulldog's record of excellence will extend into the future.