Wildcats Hope to Take District Title

The Centreville High School girl’s tennis team kicks off its 2011 season with a veteran lineup that features five seniors, and good reason to believe it can contend for the district title this year. The Wildcats didn’t lose a single player from last year’s team, which finished in fourth place in the conference, behind Robinson, Oakton, and Chantilly. Even more importantly, many of the players made significant improvements to their games during the offseason, and will be looking to make the most of their senior years.

“They’ve made an effort to play a lot over the winter,” said sixth-year coach, Bolivian born Leslie O’Connor. “Our top players have made a concerted effort to get better because they knew this year would be very competitive and it will be.”

Interest in the sport remains high at Centerville—44 girls competed for just 29 spots on this year’s roster. High school tennis matches are 10 game pro sets with no tie-breakers and feature six starters in singles, plus three doubles teams. The remaining players will be part of a developmental roster that serves as a kind of quasi-JV team.

The only starter who isn’t a senior is also the team’s top singles player. Sophomore Jackie Lin fought her way into the #1 singles spot as a freshman via the team’s challenge ladder system and will again start the 2011 season in the top spot for the Wildcats. 

“She is a heck of a player, her sister was also the number 1 player for all four years and Jackie is following in her footsteps,” O’Connor said.  “She’s got great footwork, a big topspin forehand, and she’s working on her doubles game too.”

Lin learned the game from her father and mother, both active recreational players, and began taking lessons in the 4th grade. In the winter, she practices with a good friend, Emily Hu, the number one player at Westfield. Lin beat Hu last year 10-5, and counts the win as her best victory of the season.

Cheryl Masmanian will once again anchor the number two singles position. She’s started her career as a freshman in the #6 slot, moved up to #3 as a sophomore, and two as a junior. Last year, Masmanian won the team award for most wins, and with an additional year of experience under her belt, should be a solid contributor to this year’s team. 

Christina Park may be the most improved player—she’ll make the jump from playing #6 singles last year to the three position to start this season. “She has improved her game incredibly over the winter,” O’Connor said. “Her strokes have been so much more consistent, she has a lot more power and spin on both wings, her backhand slice is more consistent and her net game has improved.”

Seniors Sarah Nguyen, Shauna Kistner, Astrid Unson round out the starting singles lineup. All will be key contributors as every win counts the same in tennis- whether it comes at the #1 slot or the #6 slot.

Jackie Lin believes the team is ready to challenge for the league title.

“I think we’ll do well, we’re a strong team, we’ve connected more as a team and we’re more supportive of each other this year,” she said.

The team kicks off its season at home against Herndon at 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday.