The girls tennis team has five seniors this year, with Captain Kamya Panchal, Captain Diya Agochiya, and Sophia Faris on the Varsity team and Kashvi Panchal and Sam Lakshmi Rajesh on the JV team.

   These seniors had various experiences from their time on the team that have shaped them into the Bears they are today. 

   “My favorite memory was my first day of summer practice when I met former captain Claire Emmanuel. She was so nice to me on that first day and it really just kind of set up a really good freshman year for me,” Kamya Panchal said. 

   That team camaraderie that Panchal experienced is something that carried into this season heavily. 

   “I think this year was really about moral support for the team and making sure even if we didn’t have the best season, we’d still have good morale and make sure people enjoyed the team and wouldn’t wanna leave. I think we did well on that. It’s awesome,” Faris said.

   Despite some losses, which included a 2-3 fall to Olentangy Liberty and a 1-4 loss to Dublin Jerome, the team has a 10-6 record and a high morale.

   “No one really gets upset when we lose, we just talk about how we can play better,” Agochiya said. 

   Regardless of the outcome, the girls lifted each other up, whether it’s with hugs after the match or a racket tap mid-game.

   “My teammates are a constant reminder of how I need to grow in terms of how I play, how I treat others and just in all sorts of ways. They’re just really great role models,” Lakshmi Rajesh said. 

   As these five seniors prepare to venture beyond Bears territory and into the world, the lessons they have learned will stick with them for years to come. 

   “My advice is take your form seriously, the form really builds up [in the] later years believe it or not. And have fun, because if you’re not having fun it’s not worth it,” Kashvi Panchal said.