Fourteen determined, talented individuals — well aware of the fight ahead — started their night as competitors and walked away as winners.

On Thursday, Sept. 8, the Homestead girls varsity tennis team took on their toughest conference rival, Nicolet High School. Currently, Homestead’s team is ranked first in the state with Nicolet is ranked second.

Singles players Katya Mikhailenko, senior; Andie Weise, freshman; Natalie Yang, freshman and Jamie Gebhardt, freshman, had a successful day, all winning their matches and scoring four points for Homestead.

Doubles players Frankie Lalonde, junior, and Sasha Shapsis, freshman, also won their match. The final score of the meet was 5-2 with a Homestead victory.

Weise who is brand new to high school, and brand new to the Mequon-Thiensville school district, played two singles and had a successful meet.

“I played against Angela Sendik, Nicolet junior. I haven’t played her in about two years. She practices a lot, her game has gotten much stronger and she hits a really hard ball. I won the first set 7-6 in a tiebreaker, and I won the second set 6-2,” Weise said.

Also brand new to the Mequon-Thiensville school district this year from Cedarburg, Lalonde, and her partner Shapsis, won their match as well.

“My partner and I beat Nicolet’s number one doubles team 6-2 and 6-3. The match was really fun because I got to play against one of my good friends, Elise Gerard, who I have known for a while. Elise and her partner are a great pair, and they have a lot of experience playing together because they got second at state last year. I’m looking forward to playing the Sweet Sixteen tournament with Sasha this weekend, and hope we continue our undefeated record. I wish all of my teammates the best of luck,” Lalonde said.

The varsity tennis team will play again this weekend in the Sweet Sixteen tournament. Mikhailenko, who won the meet last year at one singles, will be participating again and is hoping for another victory.

“I’m hoping for a solid team outcome. So far, as a team, we are undefeated and we’ve never won this title the past three years, so I’m really hoping to take it,” Mikhailenko said.