It was mid-October. The fall sports seasons of volleyball, soccer, track, and tennis had wrapped
up, and Friends Seminary teams entered the ACIS playoffs with high expectations. Fans filled buses
to go watch the volleyball and soccer teams, eager to bring home some hardware. Flying under the
radar was the Girls’ Varsity Tennis team – a team that many might not have realized had achieved thrilling success over the past two seasons.
Coming off an ACIS regular season and a postseason victory in 2023, the team had lofty goals for themselves and expectations within the team for this year could not have been higher. After the team lost their second and third singles and the first doubles players, the Owls were looking at a mostly new and inexperienced roster. Isabelle Steiglehner ‘25 still led the team at first singles, but newcomer Skylar Willard ‘28 stepped up at number two, ultimately becoming one of the team’s most consistent performers. Steiglehner ‘25 gave commentary about her preseason expectations to The Insight, remarking “I was nervous about who would fill the role of second singles in the lineup. Anika ‘24 did such a great job last year, and there was a lot of pressure. As soon as Skylar showed up to preseason and battled her way through challenge matches, I knew she was going to be an integral part of the team.”
The No. 3 singles spot saw a few changes throughout the year, but Oona ‘27 played a huge role in the success of the Owls late in the season. Doubles teams Sylvie ‘25 and Maisie ‘26 and Eve ‘27 and Zoe ‘27 played first and second doubles, respectively, for much of the season. The regular season was rocky, as illnesses often threw into disarray the team’s set lineup.
Despite the struggles, the Owls finished with a respectable league record of 2-2. Going into the playoffs, the tennis team knew they needed to find their rhythm to have a shot at defending last year’s championship title. The pressure was high, but coaches Terry, Roberto, and Jacob soothed the players’ nerves, reminding them of their capabilities and restoring confidence. On October 25, the second-seeded Friends Seminary Owls were ready to face the Berkeley Carroll Lions for the second time in the season. The Owls won the previous matchup, but the Lions brought in some new players this time around, adding a layer of unpredictability. Both opponents were eager for a chance to advance to the ACIS championship. The two doubles matches were swiftly won by the Owls, with Maisie and Sylvie taking care of business in a tie-break and Eve and Zoe finishing off their opponent in straight sets. Singles 1 and 3 couldn’t pull out wins, but freshman Skylar kept her composure under pressure. When asked about her mindset going into the deciding match, Skylar ‘27 told The Insight: “I felt very supported by my teammates and my coaches, and I just wanted to do my best for them.” Down 5-2 in the first set, she mounted a comeback and then dominated the second set to eventually secure the semifinal win for the Owls.
The Owls returned to the courts that Friday to take on Léman, another opponent they had beaten earlier in the season. The match played out in similar fashion to the semis, with both doubles teams coming out victorious and the deciding match being second singles. Skylar, not shaken by a first-set loss, fought back to win the next two sets, clinching the title for the Owls. The girls’ tennis team, now back-to-back ACIS champions, faced hardship on the journey to defend their title. The team’s resilience and camaraderie led them through a challenging season, and ultimately they were rewarded with another championship.
