Adrenaline ran through Mihtar’s veins during a neck-to-neck tennis match. Mihtar was playing along with fellow teammate senior Katelyn Sommer, and the pair was ready to give it all they had to win the game, despite being behind in the rankings. 

This match was a defining moment in Tennis for Mihtar because she persevered through the obstacles. With hard work and dedication, she and her partner, Katelyn Sommer, claimed victory on August 31st at Patrick Henry High School.

The team of 11 committed players have the goal in mind of defeating their biggest rivals, Rancho Bernardo, Del Norte, and Mount Carmel. 

So far our Poway Girls’ tennis team has won two matches and lost two matches this season.

“Even in matches that we lose, I walk off the court with the reassurance that I did my best and learned a lot of new skills. In tennis, the losses are just as important as the victories,” senior Razanne Mithar said. 

“I would say Katherine Meric is the strongest player on our team because she has powerful shots and serves which makes her difficult to beat,” senior Tiana Belway said. 

They have grown closer through bonding activities, including Link Tag. 

Link Tag is a game that begins in which one individual is tagged as “it,” the purpose of the game is to tag others, and once tagged, you must link arms with the others tagged; the end goal is to get everyone in the game tagged.

“Link Tag helped us all become more united as a team. In addition, by communicating with various teammates, I was able to get to know everyone a little bit better,” senior Razanne Mihtar said. 

Another bonding activity that the team participated in was using chalk to craft a design for their parking spaces. 

“It allowed each of us to express our creativity while growing closer as a team,” senior Angelina Belway said.

Playing in pairs of two is one of the team’s biggest strengths. Seniors Razanne Mihtar and Tiana Belway prefer to work with a partner than work alone. 

“I prefer to play doubles because I play that position stronger, and I work more efficiently with my partner, my identical twin Angelina Belway,” senior Tiana Belway said. 

Tennis is a balancing act, as there are so many factors that go into it. 

“Just like in life, you take a lot of things into account: from the footwork to the swing, nothing can be disregarded,” Mihtar said. 

The Poway Girls’ Tennis Team is ready to leap into the 2021-2022 tennis season with a diligent mindset and united as one. Come on out to their next match against Cathedral Catholic held at Poway High School on September 29th!