With a 6–1 victory in the CCS Division I second round and another victory in the semifinals, the varsity girls’ tennis team secured its spot in the finals. But the Eagles’ journey in the playoffs started back on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with a blowout win over Lynbrook in the quarterfinals. 

“We played flawlessly,” head coach Hung Nguyen said. “I think all the players, especially the singles players, stayed focused and just did the task at hand.” 

The 6–1 score was a result of the team’s dominance, with the Eagles securing the overall by winning all four singles matches and taking two of the three doubles pairings. 

Specifically, singles four player and senior captain Pallavi Mallampati said her serve was the best part of her game. 

“I was able to place it well and pull the opponent off the court,” Pallavi said. “It gave me an easy opportunity to hit a winner.” 

On the doubles side, Hung gave special recognition doubles 1 duo senior captain Carissa Lai and junior Cory Medieros. 

“They are both outstanding players on their own, but this was the first time I had put them together playing doubles,” Nguyen said. “For them to gel that quickly was the most satisfying for me.”

Despite the result, the players recognized the mental challenge of balancing individual performance with the team goals. Senior captain Bella Mariona said the most challenging part was maintaining the balance between individual focus and “lifting your teammates.” 

Heading into the high-pressure environment of CCS finals, the team effectively managed expectations following its victory in the previous season’s playoffs. Nguyen noted that many players are accustomed to this kind of pressure because they participate in tournaments outside of high school tennis. 

“The environment on the courts was pretty good yesterday in terms of being very energetic and positive,” Nguyen said. 

The victory validates the players’ extensive preparation and improvement all season, according to Pallavi.

The team continues to work on cheering and being louder on the courts to boost energy and strengthen the bond between players. 

“Everybody’s gotten a lot more hype throughout this season,” Bella said. “We want to keep going out and playing with a bang and just keep working and be the most excited we can.” 

Looking forward — both in the season and into future years — Nguyen hopes the players can continue to improve and achieve to the same extent they have in previous years. 

The team followed up their victory with a second win in the quarterfinals and then again in the semifinals. They now move on to the finals at the Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club on Nov 18 at 1 p.m. 

“Ultimately, I hope the players can focus but also just enjoy the moment as well,” Nguyen said. “We are a very, very good team when we are locked in.”