Seniors Viona Lugo, Delaney Starkman, Tia Slove, Nicole Cundari, and junior Katie Karneay all placed 1st or 2nd in either doubles or singles at the conference championship on Oct. 9-10, to advance to the sectional meet, which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24. Juniors Julia Romanowski and Bridget Starkman also placed 1st in 4th doubles to earn a conference championship.

“I’ve been working towards getting a spot in state this whole season,” Lugo said. “This meet allows players to advance to state if you win the first three matches.”

The girls’ varsity tennis team had a very productive season this year with an overall record of 11-9-1. Senior Emma Schoeling feels that “one major goal was to leave a lasting impact on the team.”

“The girls have come a long way this year, and we are very lucky to have this great group of girls who do their best to represent our school in a positive way on and off the court,” Varsity Coach John Bayer said.

But, like any team, the girls have had struggles over the course of their season.

“One of our biggest struggles as a team is our mentality during a match,” said Schoeling. But this concern has not stopped the girls from making this season one to remember.

“Coach Bayer has us practice the ‘art of tall grass mentality’. Be the predator that is in the tall grass, never the prey. Or, in other words, always be aggressive on the court and never let the other team overpower you,” Kirsten Kissel, senior, said.

The girls do a variety of different drills to help them get better and to increase their chance at success.

“Drill-wise, we do a lot of volleying and also tug of war. Repetition also is a major factor for us for getting better,” senior doubles player Katie Stewart said.

“I do a lot of pushups and sit-ups to have a stronger core and to hit my shots harder,” said Lugo.

“I try to have a lot of self-discipline and maintain total concentration while playing,” D. Starkman said.