In an exceptional journey through the 6AA tournament, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s girls tennis team continued to impress with their outstanding performances. After a hard-fought victory over Holy Angels in the semifinals and a closely contested loss to the perennial powerhouse Edina Hornets in the section final, the Red Knights left their mark with remarkable stats, showcasing their talent, determination, and resilience.
In the semifinal showdown against Holy Angels, BSM displayed their efforts, securing a thrilling 4-3 victory. The match was marked by stellar performances from individual players who contributed significantly to the team’s success. “We won some good matches as a team. Beating Holy Angels was a huge win,” senior Maggie Graczyk said.
We won some good matches as a team. Beating Holy Angels was a huge win
— Maggie Graczyk
Junior Lucia Hoyt, a standout player all season, once again shone brightly in singles. Her impressive stats show with scores of 6-1, 3-6, and 6-0- setting the tone for the team’s triumph. In doubles play, Olivia Gorton and Josie Dvorak demonstrated exceptional teamwork and skills, clinching their victory with impressive scores of 6-2 and 6-2. Graczyk and senior Shale Hornig, after a challenging start, made a remarkable comeback to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. “At the start, we weren’t winning a lot of matches but we turned it around,” Graczyk said.
However, in the section final, the Red Knights faced a formidable opponent in Edina. Despite their tremendous efforts, they narrowly missed victory, enduring a heart-wrenching loss. Edina, renowned for their dominance on the athletic stage, proved to be a formidable opponent, and BSM gave their all in a closely contested match. “It is more motivating when we are in the deciding set but we were motivated the whole time. Edina is a great team. We kept motivated,” senior Shale Hornig said.
Though the section final did not go as planned, the BSM girls’ tennis teams’ season was a testament to their skill and dedication. Through a competitive Section 6AA tournament, they displayed their ability to perform under pressure in high-stakes tennis competition. “In order to win big matches, we knew we had to bring energy and cheer a lot for ourselves and our teammates,” Graczyk said.
Throughout the season, the Red Knights showcased their resilience, teamwork, and individual relentlessness. Facing adversity with a new coaching staff and their journey through the tournament, marked by thrilling victories and a hard-fought loss in the final, undoubtedly made a lasting impression on their supporters. Red Knight fans have a lot to look forward to, with a bright future for BSM girl’s tennis. “It was a different season, especially with having a new assistant coach and head coach. We did a bunch of team bonding events to bring them together and we knew we could beat some great teams in our schedule,” Graczyk said.
As the season concludes, the BSM girl’s tennis team can hold their heads high, knowing they gave their all and brought pride to their school. The impressive stats, unwavering, passion for the sport, and commitment to excellence will continue to define them as they look forward to future seasons and new opportunities to shine on the tennis court. “We had a competitive schedule with a lot of tough matches. Overall we are proud of our record and we had a good run in sections,” Hornig said.