The EHS girls tennis team ended the season successfully after winning the sectional tournament, which took place at EHS on Oct. 16 and 17. With the effects of COVID-19, however, this win did not seem possible a few months ago. 

Senior Eileen Pan says that the circumstances of the pandemic caused uncertainty about the season.

“I was unsure about a season happening because of the pandemic since the beginning of the summer. The rules that the IHSA was putting out and the rising number of COVID cases were my biggest concern,” Pan said. 

Though IHSA’s ruling to go forth with the tennis season was exciting, some of the most anticipated events were still canceled. Senior Chloe Trimpe was thankful that there was a season, but the cancelation of the annual Chicago trip was upsetting. 

“Usually during the season we get to go up to Chicago and stay the night, but this year we weren’t able to do that because of the virus. We are able to play really great competition [in Chicago], and it gives us a look at what [the state championship] is gonna look like,” Trimpe said. “Not going up to Chicago was a real heartbreak because we usually get some of our best memories up there.”

Despite the setbacks of COVID-19, the girls had a very successful season with a record of 18-3 before the SWC and sectional tournament. Sophomore Chloe Koons won the singles title at the sectional, and Trimpe and Junior Hannah Colbert won the doubles title. 

According to Colbert, the team’s strong bond was a big factor in their success. 

“I think we are [hard-working and motivated], but I believe the most important quality we had that helped us was we were like the definition of what a team is,” Colbert said. “We supported each other and we made each other better… I think because of that everything else that goes into tennis fell into place.”

Trimpe says that this win was especially emotional; it was both a mark of achievement and an end to her high school career. 

“Winning sectionals was a great win and achievement for us as a team,” Trimpe said. “We realized how far we had come as a team, and for some of us, this is a goodbye to some really great memories.”