Girls Varsity Tennis Boasts its Best Season in Program History!
The girls' varsity tennis team had a remarkable season. The team started the season with a bang, hosting the CCDS Invitational and taking home the championship, a feat that hadn't been accomplished in almost two decades. The Nighthawks went on to win seven straight before they fell to a talented Indian Hill team. The back half of the season was just as successful as the front half, winning another seven straight and finishing the season 15-2!
The Nighthawks were crowned MVC Co-Champions with a conference record of 9-1! They split the title with CHCA. This is the team's first MVC Championship since 2012 and just their second in 20 years!
Most notably, the Nighthawks posted their best season record in program history, finishing with a win percentage of 0.882 (15-2)! An incredible finish after closing the 2024-25 season at an even .500.
Led by senior captains Caroline Connelly '26, Katherine Connelly '26, and Ellie Texter '26, each varsity player contributed so much to the success of this year's squad.
Reema Arebi '27 played no. 1 singles and had an outstanding season, posting a winning record. She was the #4 seed at the OHSAA ATP Lindner Tennis Center D2 Singles Sectionals. Elena Gregorsok '28 and Ellie Texter also had strong performances as singles this season and earned the CCDS Coaches Award for her outstanding leadership.
Ellie is incredibly proud of this year's team: "all the girls gave their all for every single match, and you can see that through how successful our season was. I am beyond grateful for all the energy and time the girls put into this season, and as a captain, that's all I could ask for. I'm sad that my high school tennis career has come to an end, but I couldn't have wished for a better season."
On the doubles side, Andrea Sgro Plaut '27, Gertrude Lazarus '27, and Shriya Iyengar '28 played no. 2 doubles and had incredibly successful seasons. Andrea and Gertrude represented the Nighthawks as doubles in Sectionals.
Four-year varsity members Caroline and Katherine Connelly played at the no. 1 doubles position and had a dominant senior season. They went 13-2 overall, 8-0 in the MVC, and were the #3 seed at the OHSAA ATP Lindner Tennis Center D2 Doubles Sectionals.
Katherine Connelly reflects on her final season as a Nighthawk: "I am super proud of the tennis team for an incredible season! Whether on JV or varsity, everyone worked extremely hard at matches, tournaments, and practices."
The twin sisters hold the school records for most double matches won in a career and a season. After several hard-fought wins at Sectionals and Districts, the Connellys qualified for the OHSAA D2 State Championship!
They fell short to a talented Columbus Academy team, they represented CCDS with class! Reaching that stage is something many tennis players dream of but fall short. The Connellys made it, and they've left their mark on the tennis program!
"I'm very thankful for such a great team and coaches. This season has been so much fun, and I can't wait to see what the team can do next year!" Caroline Connelly says of her senior season.
Along with the success of the varsity team, the entire tennis program represents one of the biggest girls' programs at CCDS. With 27 players between the varsity and JV levels, it's safe to say that this program isn't going anywhere. 19 players will return next year, including five from the varsity team.
This team set unprecedented records and have carved their names in the program history books. Head coach Kyle Scully is proud of how far this program and team have come: "It was a historic and inspiring season for the team, and we're proud of all they accomplished on and off the court."
Congratulations to every member of the girls' tennis program on such a successful season!
