Game, Set, Match! The DHS Tennis Team rallied in the game they love so much and took the State Runner-up Title on April 27-29 at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
All eight state qualifying members played victorious matches in the first round, and three moved on to semi-finals. Seniors Morgan Forshag and Gabrielle Terranova competed in the finals for the State Doubles Match and claimed the Doubles State Champion Title for DHS with the final score of 6-2, 6-3.
“In tennis every point matters, and all players were necessary to become the State Runner-up,” said Mr. Paul Spitzfaden, athletic director. “It was truly a team effort, and all eight players were able to give something that led to us standing at the end with a trophy.”
Preparing to hit an impressive overhand serve to her opponent, ULL-signee Morgan Forshag serves up the competition at the Louisiana Tennis State Championships in Monroe. Forshag is the only LHSAA athlete at Dominican to be a member of a state championship/runner- up team during all four years of her high school career.
After earning the Doubles State Champion Title, senior Morgan Forshag now holds four individual state titles. She is Dominican’s first LHSAA athlete to be an individual champion and be a member of a state champion/runner-up team during all four years of her high school career.
The other seven tennis players that qualified for the state tournament included seniors Jennifer Baker, Jillian Sandoz, Gabrielle Terranova, Sofia Hill, Jenna Verges, junior Amelia Vallente and eighth grader Mary Parker Whisnant. Together they travelled with coaches Mrs. Peggy Miner (’70) and Mrs. Cindy Koenig (’71) and moderator, Ms. Stephanie Blakemore (’11).
The DHS tennis team played a successful season, with a record of 8-1. In April, they took their sixth consecutive district and regionals titles, which secured their spot at the state championship.
“Playing with the seniors was so much fun, and I’m glad I got to play with my DHS big sister [Forshag],” said Whisnant. “I was the only eighth grader who went to state, and to have their support was amazing.”
Three players will be continuing their tennis careers after signing with different universities. Forshag will be continuing her tennis career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Jillian Sandoz will be playing at Millsaps College in Mississippi, and Gabrielle Terranova will be playing at Loyola University in New Orleans.
“Tennis is a very individual sport, and the only time you get to play with others is on a school team,” said Sandoz. “I’m looking forward to playing on a team again and, being in college, having time to spend and bond with my teammates.”
– Lauren Nguyen
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