Last Saturday, the Highline women’s tennis team embarked on a journey to Eastern Washington to clash with Spokane Community College, culminating in a thrilling 5-4 victory in favor of the Thunderbirds.

Spokane solidified its status as the toughest contender in the conference, showing its competitive prowess in recent matchups against Bellevue and Treasure Valley Colleges. With only one blemish on their record, a loss to Highline College on the road, this pivotal game determined the conference leader and secured the top playoff spot.

Heading into the April 20 match, the Thunderbirds dominated the singles, maintaining a commanding 4-2 lead. Sophia Crosby emerged as a standout player, earning recognition as the NWAC Player of the Week on social media. 

Kinsey Lockhart also contributed significantly, setting the tone with a 5-7, 1-6 victory, followed by Crosby’s 3-6, 4-6 triumph. Elder and Buchan closed out the singles matches with scores of 6-2 and 6-1, respectively, propelling Highline to a 4-2 advantage.

In the doubles, Spokane exhibited superior teamwork and style, narrowing the gap to 2-1 in their favor. However, the duo of Denali Terry and Caley Buchan delivered the decisive victory for Highline, clinching the match with an emphatic 8-0 set win and secured the overall victory of 5-4.

Regarding standout performances, Head Coach Laura Rosa praised freshman Sophia Crosby, who went 4-0 over the weekend and was named NWAC Tennis Player of the Week. “She had an outstanding couple of matches, including wins at both doubles and singles against a strong 4-year team,” Rosa emphasized.

Addressing the team’s strategy for success, Rosa shared their motto: “Who we are is why we win.” She emphasized the importance of embracing each player’s unique strengths and backgrounds rather than conforming to a standard mold.

“We are strong in all three doubles and all six singles positions. Our three sophomores have really set a high standard of competition, and our freshmen have elevated to that level,” remarked Rosa when asked about the team’s success this season.

“The team has done a terrific job of staying in the moment and not underestimating any opponent, including the 4-year universities. That worked to our advantage as maybe we caught a few of them off-guard,” she added, reflecting on the influence of friendly matches with NCAA and NAIA universities.

The Thunderbirds are currently gearing up for their next challenge against Bellevue College on Friday, April 26, at 6:30 p.m.