Anna Bui also contributed to this article.
On April 15th, the Malden Girls’ Tennis team took over the court for its first home match of the season against the Everett Crimson Tide. Coming off a 5-0 win against Lynn English to start the season, the girls were amped up to begin a winning streak.
Stepping onto the court, the girls carried more confidence from their season-opening victory. Junior Cathen Fontanilla said that compared to her last game, where she felt challenged mentally, she felt “very loose and smooth” during this one.
Senior captain Jessica Chen shared a similar feeling, noting that her match was enjoyable. Chen mentioned how she was able to have fun playing against Everett as they “match the more chill, pop and not a shotgun kind of style.”
The match ended in another victorious 5-0 for Malden, with all the girls winning their sets. The team had been ecstatic with their win, pushing them closer to the Great Boston League (GBL) champion title. The girls are hoping to reclaim the title for the 5th year in a row.
The team has been satisfied with their progress so far. Despite losing a large number of seniors and skilled players, the team continues to remain “hopeful this year,” shared Coach Cheryl Camassa. The team has been able to improve and maintain a steady rhythm for a successful season.
The skill and growth of the players is setting them up for a great season. While Chen was initially “so worried this year,” she noticed all the players “stepping it up.” Chen continued, “I want everybody to improve, especially the JV. I see so much potential and the varsity, they’re blowing my mind this year.”
While the team has been managing well, the team has had a few struggles that they are attempting to settle. Due to sharing the court with the boys’ tennis team, the two teams alternate between early and late practice times. New players had to adjust to the schedule, leading practices to be “a bit scuffed,” claimed Chen.
Regardless of the obstacles, the players have highlighted the importance of their captains, seniors Remi Yang and Chen, towards the team’s improvement. Fontanilla has expressed the team’s fear of not claiming the GBL title, but also acknowledged how the captains “are very much supportive, and they’ve been helping all of the players out.”
However, the captains’ impact goes beyond the performance on the court as they have fostered a close-knit community for the team. “I love our team, the vibe, the energy is great,” said Chen.
“I think the team bonding is really one of the biggest reasons girls keep playing every year, and I know this bond this year is a good group of girls. They’re so fun together, they just love practicing, and it’s really making the team whole,” Camassa remarked.
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