Thirteen members of the girls tennis team traveled to Cincinnati from Aug. 10-12 to compete against southern Ohio teams, attend the Cincinnati Open and bring the players closer together.

The trip featured five competitive matches against Springboro High School and Turpin High School, a visit to King’s Island amusement park and a day watching professional players compete.

The goals of the trip went beyond just winning.

“Besides winning, [the goal was] definitely just team bonding so that everyone could get to know each other,” said Coach Lisa Henkel. “We have a few new freshmen on the team and some seniors from last year, so coming together as a newly formed team was one of the goals.”

Several Beachwood players showed tremendous grit in their game.  

In the first match against Springboro High School, standout performances came from seniors Ida Chang and Mathilde Spaller in doubles, who pulled off a dramatic comeback. 

“They won the first set 7-6, then lost the second set 0-6, and were feeling a little defeated,” Henkel said. “But they came back to win the tiebreak 1-0. It’s a good lesson that just because things don’t go your way doesn’t mean it’s going to end up that way.”

Junior Sofiia Buldakova also had a strong doubles performance. Despite suffering from a minor injury during her match, she continued to play and ultimately helped her team secure the win.

“I don’t want to sound boastful, but I did get a little injured while playing and still pushed through, managing to win alongside my partner Srishti Ithychanda,” Buldakova said.

Henkel is proud of the depth of the team’s spirit and talent this year.

“We have a higher level of talent across the board than other schools,” Henkel said. “Typically schools have one or two that are national players, then it drops off very fast, whereas we’re very deep in talent in the back.”

The tennis players felt this trip was a great way to start the season.

“We not only had fun, but also got a taste of independence; almost like a step towards growing up,” Buldakova said. “It also gave us the experience of playing in an environment that felt a little like the ‘pros.’”

Beyond tennis, the team spent time together off the court. After their first match, they had dinner together at a pizza place called Mellow Mushroom, an experience Henkel described as one of the highlights.

“That was the first time the girls got to hang out as a team together, but not on the courts,” she said. “I think that was a special moment.”

They also visited King’s Island and spent a day at the Cincinnati Open, watching professional players from around the world compete, while getting inspiration for their own growth.

This is the second year the team has taken this trip. Henkel said they plan to continue the tradition in future seasons.

“Definitely,” she said. “Next year we’re going to hit both parks at King’s Island… Why not?”