West Chicago’s Varsity tennis team had a close and hard-fought battle with Ridgewood on Sept. 11, but it ultimately resulted in a loss.

The Wildcats have faced Ridgewood High about two other times before their Sept. 11 match. Although Ridgewood fields a strong team, West Chicago is known for its strong performances on the court. Despite the fact that tennis matches are usually quiet, they still carry the intensity and adrenaline of competition, keeping players and spectators engaged.

Julia Koput, captain of the varsity team, plays first singles for West Chicago. This is her fourth consecutive year playing singles. She has long been a standout player and continues to improve significantly each year.

“I think this [game] exceeded my expectations, because I played for, like, three hours, so I put up a good fight, better than I thought I was going to do, and better than I did in previous years. I think it’s definitely a good sign,” Koput said.

Senior Mia Canda returned to the court for a second year as a singles player.

Canda has worked hard to secure her spot on varsity and continue competing as a singles player.

“I’m going to try my hardest to play the best I can for my last year, and I think it’s gonna go [well] from how it’s been recently,” Canda said.

At third singles, Avila showed resilience and passion for the sport. After two years in doubles, she is now in her second season as a singles player. She has worked hard to improve her skills and consistency on the court. Although she lost her match, she battled through three sets.

“I think I played really good. I had some really good rallies and we eventually went up to a third set, which means it was a very tough and good match,” Avila said.