The women’s varsity tennis team won first place in their league this year and are headed to sections.

Their assistant coach Gina Costello, also a biology and physiology teacher on campus, has high hopes going into the matches.

“We are in first place [in division II], undefeated, and seated high in sections,” said Costello.

The team does not plan to put in any more practice hours or change the way they train.

When asked what she was doing in preparation for upcoming matches junior Claire Chally said, “We keep playing, we did something right.”

This season, the team feels like they have been working on bonding together and the teamwork aspect of playing together.

“We worked on teamwork a lot,” said Chally. “It is hard to play doubles especially if you have never played before. We really bonded as a team so we trust each other, we play better together.

The team is bigger this year so the team had to split up into a varsity and junior varsity team. A big-sister-little-sister program was created where the freshmen and sophomore players were the “littles” and the junior and senior players were the “bigs.”

“It made it more of a positive environment and helped us meet more people on the [varsity] team,” said freshman Libby Snyder.

In the sections tournament the varsity team is most worried about the competitor teams that gave them a challenge during league.

“Del Oro is a pretty strong division II team,” said Costello. “Their doubles team is strong and there are a lot of club players.”

To actually win the sections tournament and proceed to NorCals would be an even bigger accomplishment for the team.

“It would be an opportunity for Rio to say that we need new tennis courts,” said Costello. “It would up the game a little bit and prepare us more.”

It would be a symbol of the team’s season-long crusade.

“It shows that all of our hard work was put in,” said Chally.

In the not too distant future section matches, the team plans to continue their pre-game traditions.

“We have a great cheer right before that is a riot,” said Costello.

Before that, however, some players take advantage of the transportation.

“My couple friends and I hop in the same car, play music, have fun and get ready,” said Chally.

The team’s last league match to secure their undefeated season was against Vista del Lago. The two teams were tied and the fate of the team’s undefeated season came down to the last doubles match, played by juniors Sophia Pantis and Katlyn Shaw.

“Everyone was watching us very intently,” said Pantis. “We assumed it was very a precarious match.”

On Oct. 26, two super double teams represented Rio at the CIFSJS tournament and both teams took the top spots. These matches were played by freshman Emma Chally, sophomore Lexi Accinelli, junior Claire Chally, and senior Amy Langlois.

On Nov. 1, Rio will have their first sections match at Carmichael park against Atwater High School.