The North Park Women's Tennis Team finished off their 2021-22 season with a decisive win over Alverno College on our home tennis courts. When the team competition ended, North Park earned a victory at every position in both doubles and singles.
The morning doubles matches started off strong for the Vikings. The team has been experimenting with different doubles combinations all year, as the team of mostly 1st year players adjusted against different opponents. #1 doubles pair Lisa Viuhkonen and Carla Cazes faced the strongest competition today, with Alverno taking an early 2-1 lead. But as the new pair of Cazes and Viuhkonen settled into their grove, the combination of Viuhkonen's strong baseline attack and Cazes deft net-play won the next 7 games to seal the win. #2 doubles Maddie Starr and Olivia De Luca, who played together often in the fall season, quickly brought back their chemistry and polished off their opponents 8-0. #3 Doubles Anna Miller and Kate Vinson, also a new combination, earned the quickest win of the day using Vinson's outstand service game and Miller's volleys and overhead dominance.
Singles competitions started off slower for the Vikings, with Alvero taking some early games in several of the competitions. It didn't take long, however, for the Vikings to take control of their own offence and win in straight sets at all 6 singles positions. There was hardly an element of the matches that the Vikings did not outplay their opponents in, from serves, returns, groundstrokes or volleys.
Coach Soderstrom said, "It was a great way to end the year with a win on our home courts. The players worked so hard in both the fall and spring, improving in all areas of their game. I am particularly proud of the improvement in doubles play and execution that showed up in several matches this spring including today. Our young team has a lot to be proud of this year, earning the most number of wins in a season in the last five years. With so many players returning next year, the future looks very bright."
