Ranking top five in the Bay Division, the Sequoia girls tennis team faced tough competition throughout the season and emerged victorious, defeating the top team, Carlmont, by winning two matches on senior night bringing high hopes for future seasons.
The Peninsula Athletic League’s (PAL) Bay Division is the top public school league in the Central Coast. Sequoia girls tennis was at the top of the Ocean Division last year, allowing them to move up to the Bay Division for the 2023 season. Placing in the Bay Division allows Sequoia to face tougher teams in the future, and compete at a higher level.
The team was very excited about the new opportunity to compete in the Bay League, preparing for the tournament by staying late for extra reps after practice.
“It was really good to step up into this league, embracing the challenge of better competition and really being able to push ourselves to be the best players,” senior MVP Tessa Folan said.
The team has come together to put in the hard work and their passion for the sport, allowing them to stay focused and achieve their goals for the season.
“They want to improve [their skills] so they’re focused. We are simulating every practice match like it’s a league match. [The team is] enthusiastic in continuing with their training individually, and they have the heart and the will to be better,” Coach Beeyong Sison said.
They all supported each other, even when some players weren’t able to participate.
“[Despite] adversity with injury and sickness,” Folan said. “players stepped up [to help] when they needed to.”
This team represents all grades from freshman to seniors, allowing for a dynamic atmosphere compared to last season. Since the tennis program only has one team, the players of all grades are able to carry their lessons from previous years and help each other grow. This allows for creating new connections and bonds on and off the court.
“[This year] was different because I feel like I connected more with the players on my team. When we win a point, we congratulate each other very well. And think that teamwork is really good,” sophomore Maya Perez-Martinez said.
The supportive energy from the team is reflected in all aspects of the game. Two players, senior Josephine Ollmann and junior Sasha Efimchik, are headed toward the PAL tournament to represent Sequoia.
“This team had a ton of energy. It was very diverse amongst ages and interests. I think tennis [is] a good place where we all come together from different backgrounds, but really came together for our passion of tennis,” Folan said. “I’m [really going to] miss the energy of the underclassmen, [they] had a good competitive spirit and were dedicated to the game of tennis, putting in the extra hits after practice.”