The girls’ tennis team has opened the fall season with a mix of returning and new players, aiming to compete against top programs while building team chemistry.
Doubles player Emily Stutsman ’26 said she is approaching her final season with gratitude and excitement.
“I’m looking forward to savoring my last season with the team,” Stutsman said. “We have a great group of girls this year, and I’m excited to continue building relationships and making memories with them. I’m especially excited for our San Diego tournament, which was a highlight of last season for us competitively and as a bonding experience.”
Stutsman said much of the roster stayed sharp during the offseason through private training and tournament play. Stutsman said their focus is on building strong team chemistry and setting clear goals to stay united during the season.
“We want to create a strong foundation by connecting on court, bonding off court and setting team goals for the season,” Stutsman said. “I want us to play with more confidence and continue to support each other, especially during our tougher matches.”
Singles player Alli Firtel ’27 said the team is preparing to compete with a new lineup after six players graduated.
“We’re looking forward to moving up some of the girls from JV and also some new freshmen,” Firtel said. “We’ll be switching around doubles partners and the lineup itself to do the best we can with the new group.”
Firtel said the team hopes to advance further in the season compared to last year.
“Last season, we were in the open division of CIF and lost to Palos Verdes High School in the first round, and they ended up winning the thing,” Firtel said. “We hope to do the best that we can in the playoffs and go in with as much confidence as possible.”
The Wolverines will compete in the San Diego Invitational from Sept. 18-20, one of the key events of this season.
Stutsman said the team is focused on creating a strong foundation by connecting on and off the court. She said their goal is to play with confidence, support each other and stay united and together during some very challenging matches.
“We definitely want to improve from last season,” Stutsman said. “We lost in the first round of CIF to Palos Verdes, who ended up winning it all, so this year our goal is to practice hard, build confidence and make a stronger run for these playoffs.”
