The girls tennis team is finishing its season in strong fashion by sending three players to state competition.

“We are having a great season,” Coach Bender said. “The team is 11-6.” Hopefully the will be able to keep this positive winning ratio up. The team has placed first at one tournament and placed second at two other tournaments this year.

When the girls are on the court they are aggressive and show their talent, and off the court they show their team spirit and their determination to improve.

“They continue to amaze me by their sportsmanship and their willingness to practice and condition hard,” Coach Bender said.

However, talent doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes hard work and energy in order to become the best player possible.

“I believe I have helped the girls improve by structuring practices around the skills that they need the most work on. I use a variety of drills and games so the practices aren’t always the same,” Coach Bender said.

The saying “practice makes perfect” has never been more true when it comes to tennis. The girls have been working hard to do well in tournaments, and they will continue to practice this as they gear up for state.

Above all, no team is complete without a team goal. The girls tennis team’s goal is to “strive to perform to the best of their ability at all times,” Coach Bender said.

“They will also display good sportsmanship and have a positive attitude while having fun and developing a lifelong love for tennis.” These girls have certainly met their goal for this season.

The star players this year are junior Bethany Marshall, who is a starting singles player; seniors Elizabeth Barrett and Katie Sowa, who are starting doubles players; seniors Isabel Steno and Leah Underwood, who play fourth doubles at competitions; sophomore Kaitlin Warner, who plays second singles; and junior Sarah Schultz, who plays third singles.

Other notable players this year are seniors Elizabeth Lalond and Ava Warner, who play third doubles, and sophomores Alina Krembuscewski and Karina Los, who play second doubles.

Overall, the tennis team’s hard work and determination will bring them to the top and will ultimately allow them to achieve their goals for the future.