Every day after school ends, the Alexandria City High School girls tennis team hits the courts outside of the King Street Campus to practice their serves and volleys, working hard as they continue to dominate the Patriot District.

Although it is often overlooked as a spring sport, compared to soccer, lacrosse and softball, the girls’ tennis team has been very successful this year and has their sights set on an undefeated season.

The team is currently undefeated with a 8-0 record as of April 15, pending the results of a tied game with Robinson that was postponed due to a lack of lights at the latter’s tennis courts. The Robinson game will be finished on April 30. 

The team’s most recent win was on April 21 against Fairfax, and they have five games remaining before they head to individual districts on May 11 and team districts  So far this season, highlights include a 9-0 win against South County on March 24 and an 8-1 win against Lake Braddock on March 26.

The team has improved significantly since last season, where they ended the spring with a 7-6 record overall. Junior Siena Lester noted that a competitive ethos on the team has helped them succeed this year. “We have a lot of talented players who challenge each other and push us to become better as a whole,” she says. 

Senior and team captain Taryn MacMahon highlighted the role of the coaches in the team’s success, “The coaches really make an effort to give everyone one-on-one help when needed and make an effort to bring the team together.”

“They have been very encouraging and supportive throughout this season,” added Lester.

Lester and MacMahon also cite the team’s tight-knit culture as an important factor in their success. “Everyone on the team is very supportive and it’s a really positive environment,” says Lester. 

“[Tennis] is an unconventional team sport and it could be easy to feel disconnected, since we are all not playing on the field together,” says MacMahon. “But regardless, we cheer each other on, making it feel like a little family.”

The tennis team has many traditions that add to their closeness. Every season, the team does “Secret Sis”, a variation of Secret Santa where each team member draws another teammate’s name and buys them their favorite candy and treats. Lester says that it’s one of her favorite traditions. 

MacMahon’s favorite tradition is the bagels the team brings and eats at every game. “It’s a great perk!” she says. 

MacMahon also says that she is looking forward to watching the team continue to succeed and getting to know them better, and Lester agrees. Although much of the season remains, the Titans have set themselves up for a successful rest of the spring and a potential bid at the district championship. 

Rules of Play

Tennis games are scored throughout a series of singles and doubles matches. These matches are played between the team’s ranked players, which are the top six individual players on each team. When a singular player or a duo from a team win a match, they receive a point for their team. These points determine the final score of the game. The non-ranked players play exhibition games that are not counted for points.