The Student Newspaper of Highline College

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Lady T-Birds hold their championship plaques at the end of the tournament, including Celeste Parker, left, Daniela Maqueda, Mia Rosa, Selah Carlisle, Andrea Guiton, and Princess Ventura.

Highline women’s tennis nets first-ever title

Rebecca Zenger Staff Reporter May 19, 2022

Highline women’s tennis won the 2022 NWAC championship title with an undefeated tournament run last Sunday in Wenatchee. 

Highline went 3-0 with a combined 25-3 match record over the two-day tournament. 

On Saturday, the Thunderbirds swept Treasure Valley 9-0 and beat arch rival Bellevue 7-2 before clinching the NWAC title with an 8-1 win over Spokane on Sunday. Four teams competed in the women’s tournament.

This Thunderbird squad achieved a lot of firsts by winning the NWAC team title, the singles title, the doubles title, and the head coach of the year.

Highline’s Mia Rosa won the No. 1 singles title, going undefeated in the tournament.

Highline Coach Laura Rosa and Mia Rosa share a mother-daughter moment after last weekend’s victory in Wenatchee.

Mia Rosa teamed up with Celeste Parker to win the No. 1 doubles championship. Bellevue took second place.

Highline Head Coach Laura Rosa was named Co-Coach of the Year along with Bellevue’s Micah Perron, who led the Bulldogs with a 5-10 overall record. 

Other details from the tournament were unavailable at press time. 

Mia Rosa’s last singles victory confirmed that Highline had won it all.

The moment Highline had secured the championship was indescribable, said Highline Head Coach Laura Rosa. 

“It was validation for all we have fought for. Mia Rosa’s final singles was the last match on. Once it ended I finally let myself take off my coach hat and just be a mom for a minute. It’s not really describable, but I will cherish that minute forever,” said Rosa.

When Mia Rosa finished her last point, everyone felt relief and happiness at the same time, said freshman Celeste Parker.

“We were all tense and a little bit stressed when we were playing because every point counts in our matches.

When we realized we won, we were filled with joy and felt like we could finally breathe,” said Parker.

Bringing home the big trophy was years in the making, said Coach Rosa. 

“This was a multi-year and it took the six women currently on this team everything they had mentally and physically to pull off such a dominant win. But, it also took every alum who has been a part of this program since 2016,” said Rosa.

Six years ago, women’s tennis was reinstated at Highline College after a 25-year absence. The first three years Highline had finished second to Bellevue. The past two years there were no championships due to COVID-19. 

“Every year we built on what those who came before did for this program. This was a true T-Bird tennis community effort,” said Rosa.

Over the season, Lady T-Bird tennis has coined the phrase, “Who we are is why we win”.

“Every single person on our team was a contributor to our championship victory. It took our combined effort and dedication to bring home the trophy,” said Mia Rosa.

“The moment I allowed myself to think we could win this was when we beat Bellevue for the second time during the season,” said Highline sophomore Celeste Parker.

“Bellevue was our biggest competition since they won the championship trophy in previous years,” Parker said.

“We always knew we could. We knew a championship was in our hands and that was what fueled the discipline, trust and courage of this special team,” said Coach Rosa.

With the season concluded, right now Highline tennis is celebrating the current team and the 2022 NWAC tennis title, said Rosa.

“In the coming weeks we will be ready to share some of the big signing announcements that we have waiting in the wings, but for now, this is all about Daniela Maqueda, Princess Ventura, Andrea Guiton, Selah Carlisle, Celeste Parker and Mia Rosa,” said Rosa. 

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