Our Lady Spartan Tennis Team has led an extraordinary year, completing their regular season with a 7-3 record and securing a spot in the 2025 WPIAL Playoffs. Through great amounts of hard work, dedication, and support for one another, the Lady Spartan Tennis team achieved a winning record in both their varsity and junior varsity teams.
On Monday, October 6th, the Lady Spartan Tennis team competed in a vigorous match against the 2024 WPIAL Section 3A Champions, Mount Lebanon Senior High. Although the results of that match did not end as hoped for, it is the first time in five years that the Hempfield Area Girls Tennis team has made it to the playoffs, pushing themselves one step closer to the championships.
Many changes have been made this season to increase the confidence, drive, and skills of each girl on the team. The team has been forced to change their perspectives, adjust their techniques, and improve their mental approaches to the game. Ella Barras, the team’s number-one singles player, says that this season challenged her as she adapted into the position of the highest ranking player on the team. “Being at the top position was challenging because I was playing against more skilled players, but I am able to learn and grow from those matches. I am definitely stronger than I was last year and hope to keep improving”.
Our 2025 team captain, Sydney Blose, expressed her pride in the team’s ability to work with one another this season. She stressed the importance of friendships on the team and how the mutual support for one another led them through a winning season. “I truly learned that our independent success doesn’t matter. Individually, our skill level is no better than others on the team in previous years. This year we became close as a team and learned to support each other for the good of the group, which led to our success.” Sydney’s effort and dedication to the team and the emphasis of teamwork, strengthened the team in more ways than one. Completing her final chapter of being on the Hempfield Area Girls Tennis team as a senior, she leaves the team with a strong foundation of determination, unity, and a positive outlook on the seasons to come.
Throughout this season, the girls have participated in fundamental drills that focused on building the muscle memory, confidence, and consistency that was used in each match that they competed in. Coach Stas would remind the girls before every match that “it’s never about the opponent across the net; it’s always about them versus that yellow ball.” This simple reminder aided their concentration, competitiveness and stress management during matches. It was with this mindset and repetition that the girls watched their hard work pay off, not only through the scores on the cards, but the confidence and determination that ignited inside of them.
Despite the loss against Mount Lebanon in the WPIAL Section 3A Championship, making it to playoffs marked a huge step forward for each girl on the team. Every serve, every rally, and every match served as a lesson that brought them closer to their goals. This season was not a measure of wins or losses, but a projection of what they are capable of. They have shown that success does not come overnight, but through practice, collaboration and purposeful steps forward. With their playoff run marking a season of exceptional growth, the girls tennis team ends this one a step closer to the championship that awaits in their future.
