If you expect to see the next Maria Sharapova, then don’t go to the Amy Yee Tennis Center after school this spring. But if you want to see good tennis, take a trip. Coming off a solid finish to the 2007 season, the Garfield girls tennis team comes back with something they haven’t had in god knows how long: a strong core group of seniors. Not only that, the team has great players turning out in the underclassmen ranks. Junior Christina Cook, and Sophomore Becca Fine are expected to have strong years, and be a big part of the Bulldogs’ success this season. Improvement is prevalent everywhere throughout the team.

“The freshmen have improved a lot,” said senior captain Jessica McFadden.

Led by captains Leah Bross and McFadden, the team screams of senior leadership. The two took the game seriously this off-season by competing at a national tournament in Arizona. The captains aren’t the only ones to look for. Megan Forry, Erica Jornlin, Robyn Salmon are also returning to reliable roles. Take your pick.

The team had a strong finish at districts last year, placing well in both the singles and doubles tournaments and expects that they only could have gotten better in the year since they last stepped onto the court.

“It’s basically the same team as last year, just better,” said McFadden.

The season is creeping up like a spider on a nightstand. The team starts off with their first match of the year on Tuesday March 11th, with a non-league match against Interlake at home. They then kick off league play a week later on the 18th against Bothell. From there on out the season will be off and running, and it will be sure to be six weeks of fun. If all goes well, the team can stretch it into seven or eight weeks of fun.

With all of the senior leadership and talented play from the underclassmen this year is sure to be exciting. Since spring sports has started, the team has been practicing hard every day after school. Last year went well, this year looks even better.

“Hopefully this year we’ll go back (to districts) and do even better,”said McFadden.

This isn’t Wii tennis ladies and gentlemen, this is Varsity girls tennis, so expect a show every time they have a match. If this season goes as planned, the girls tennis team should expect a lot of wins, and a lot of fun. Who knows, by May they could be showing off some hardware like its Wimbledon.