The Eaglecrest High School Girls Varsity Tennis team was in Arvada, CO on April 12th and 13th to compete in the Ralston Valley Mustang Invitational Tournament against Arvada West High School, Ralston Valley High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Centaurus High School, Golden High School, Valor Christian High School, and Chaparral High School. The team placed 6th out of 8 and competed hard.
“The beginning of this tournament has always made me anxious because I want to make sure that I’m impressing my coaches, and carrying my team further into the tournament,” said sophomore Natali Marshall.
It is hard to stay mindful and not get overwhelmed by the pressure of wanting to succeed in important tournaments like this one. In tennis, an individual score often matters more than how the team does overall, making each player responsible for their own playing and scores. This individual scoring system can take you further into Regionals and State, but can also increase your pre-match jitters and stress.
In this thrilling tournament, our #4 doubles team, Akemi Adams (senior) and Fabiana Acosta-Rojas (junior) lost 4-6, 3-6 in a match against Arvada West High School in the first round of the tournament. They defeated Centaurus High School in round 2, with a match score of 6-1, 6-0. Finally, they lost in the third round to Ralston Valley High School in an eight-game pro set with a score of 3-8.
The #3 doubles team, which includes senior Aidyn Johnson, and freshman Sophia Mower, performed well together. They unfortunately lost in the first round to Arvada West High School with a match score of 5-7, 0-6. They had a comeback in the second round of the tournament and defeated Centaurus High School 6-0, 6-,0 in their match. In round three, they had another hard-earned win, beating Chaparral High School 8-5, in an eight-game pro set.
Our #2 doubles team consists of two seniors, Brianna Rea and Cyneathia Brooker. They lost against Valor Christian High School in the first round, with a final match score of 5-7, 2-6. They also lost in the second round with a match score of 5-7, 6-2, against Arvada West High School. They defeated Centaurus High School in the third round, with a score of 8-4 in an eight-game pro set.
Two more of the team’s beloved seniors, Saleshma Dahal and Kate Stephens make up our #1 doubles team. In this tournament, they lost to Valor Christian High School with a match score of 4-6, 1-6. In round 2, they won 6-0, 6-2 against Centaurus High School. In the third round of the tournament, they were defeated by Chaparral High School 2-8 in an eight-game pro set.
In our school’s #3 singles position is junior Caroline Aquino. She lost in the first round to Chaparral High School, with an official match score of 0-6, 3-6. She fought her way back in the second round and beat Centaurus High School 7-5, 6-2. For her final competition, she faced Golden High School and lost 1-8 in an eight-game pro set.
Playing #2 singles is junior Paige Rauen. She lost in her first match 0-6, 0-6 against Rocky Mountain High School. She defeated Valor Christian High School 1-6, 1-6. In Round Two of the tournament, she lost 4-8 in an eight-game pro set against Ralston Valley High School in her last challenge of the tournament.
Finally, in the #1 singles position is the talented Natali Marshall. She beat Centaurus High School in her first match, in the first round of the tournament. That match ended with a score of 6-4, 6-0, Eaglecrest. She pushed through another win and won against Arvada West High School with a score of 6-4, 6-4. She made it to the finals of the tournament and finished off with a close loss to Rocky Mountain High School. The score of the final match was 2-6, 3-6, Rocky Mountain.
The team was out on the courts all day Saturday and on Sunday morning. They warmed up for about an hour before playing their first matches of each day. When one of their teams was not playing a match, they were watching their other other teammates and cheering them on with spirit and excitement. This tournament was perfect for the team to connect with one another and build their relationships with one another.
“Tournaments like these are a great way to build up your tennis toughness and get better playing a variety of differently skilled athletes,” said Junior Fabiana (Fabi) Acosta-Rojas. “I had a ton of fun hanging out and getting closer with my team too”.
Scoring high and placing well is not always the key to a successful team. Winning makes you feel accomplished and betters your team’s overall reputation, but what makes a good team is the bonds that people share and the energy that you bring out onto the court, field, etc… The Girl’s Tennis team has very strong team dynamics and knows how to learn from their mistakes after a loss. In addition to this, they know how to realize what they have done well in any match, and still realize how they can get better, even when they score a big win.
The Ralston Valley Invitational Tournament was a significant experience for the tennis team. The coaches David Palmer, Craig Marshall, and Maggie Pooler did a great job supporting the team emotionally and physically, as well as coaching them to victory in tons of difficult and anxiety-provoking points. The team played well and brought back substantial and impressive scores. Go EHS Girls Tennis!
