Tennis seniors focus on team unity

Spartan tennis made it through several switched lineups with a record of 8-3. After their last game against Mounds Park Academy in sections, the season ended on a heart-breaker; however, Georgia Ross continued onto individual sections, and the duo of Nellie Larson and Autumn Spaulding played in doubles.

Although difficult past years cast doubts on the potential for success at season start, the team grew closer and kept up a high winning streak.

Senior Anna Nowakowski said, “Coming into this season was hard because the year before, we weren’t super successful as a team […] ” something we did really well this year was working together.”

The team maintained traditions to encourage connection.

Junior Audrey Senaratna said, “The juniors traditionally plan senior night and this year, we had seven seniors – over half the team – so it was an exciting day. We all decorated the courts before the match and everything turned out really cute.”

She expressed gratitude for the seniors’ help throughout the season. “They were such a big part of my tennis experience […] I will always cherish the time I got to play with them,” Senaratna said.

As a new student at SPA, freshman Nellie Larson appreciated the welcoming environment of the team created by the upperclassmen.

“They made sure that you knew you were a part of a team,” Larson said.
After several difficult seasons of readjusting to what’s normal, girls tennis proved to themselves and their competitors that they were a force to be reckoned with.