By: Jordan Frantz

For the past three years, the Bellbrook Women’s Tennis team has brought home the gold. With an undefeated league record in 2022 and 2023, it was no surprise the Eagles were the team on top. The team finished its season  4-0. 

With an undefeated season last year, the team continued to set high goals and expectations. 

“We are all there with the same goal. Every girl puts in 110% effort on and off the court,“ junior Brooklyn Elsass said. “Even at practice, the chemistry is great. We all have the same desire and know that while it’s an individual sport, every girls’ match matters and the best thing to do is to improve one another. Every girl wants the best for each other, and we see that at practice, in matches, and even off the court.”

In some of the earlier matches of the season, the Eagles swept three other SWBL teams, beating Monroe, Edgewood, and Franklin 5-0 while securing a tight match against Ross 3-2. 

“This season, the girls took on a tough match schedule that didn’t leave much time for practice or days off, “ head coach Lauren Dever said. “The hard work they put in preparing for the season before it started really showed when it came to long matches in unbearable heat.”

The team consists of seven players. With the outstanding year the team had, all seven members of the team were rewarded in the all-league recognition. Senior Maya Brink was the First Singles Champion and Player of the Year. Brooklyn Elsass was the Second Singles Runner Up. Senior Kaitlyn Kwik was the Third Singles Runner Up. Seniors Tori Dreischarf and Avery Filburn were First Doubles Champion. Sophomore Venus Aggarwal and junior Lola Brown finished Second Doubles Champions. 

“Winning doubles at SWBL was super fun. Avery and I make a great team,” Dreischarf said. “When one of us made a mistake, the other one stepped up. We both played very well together and I felt that I could rely on her.”

“It felt so good to earn First-team all-tournament my senior year because it is a goal I have been reaching for since freshman year,” Filburn said. “I felt like my hard work paid off.”

Maya Brink was not only the 2023 Player of the Year, but also the 2022 Player of the Year. Brink went to state for doubles in 2022 with Nikita Aurora. In 2021, Brink went for Singles. Brink was also awarded the SWBL athlete of the week on October 2. 

“It feels great to have been player of the year two times in a row,” Brink said. “I have been playing tennis for over a decade, so it feels good to have all my hard work be for something.” 

The Eagles continue to strive for gold in the seasons to come. 

“Next season, we’re going to strive for the same hard work, both physically and mentally,” coach Dever said.  “And we always make sure to have fun.”