Wake Forest placed 3rd in the Northern, concluding conference play Oct. 8 and the coach and team gave their insight on how they believed 2019 went.

The team finished 7-7 overall and 5-5 in conference.

“I am very proud of how we did this season. We worked really hard, and it showed. We also beat our rivals, Heritage. That was really fun,” senior Sophie Padalecki said.

The team fell to the Huskies 5 to 4 in their first meeting, but they rallied Oct. 1 for the 6 to 3 victory.

Senior Katie Dickerson led the team all year as the #1 seed and went 4-8 in the difficult lead spot.

“My individual season was good. Even though I didn’t win all of my matches, I still tired my best and did the best that I could,” Dickerson said.

Senior Brittney West felt that the team’s mindset was important.

“That we all kept positive attitudes no matter the outcome and we all tried our best,” West said.

Padalecki has a favourite highlight from this season, and it involves one of her friends.

“It was definitely getting to go to regionals with my doubles partner, Julia. We had to work really hard, but it paid off in the end, and we had a lot of fun doing it,” Padalecki said.

Padalecki finished with a 6-5 single record.

Coach Brian Lesh began the season with a certain goal.

“So with every season, it’s my goal to win a conference championship. Did I accomplish that? No. If I had a video camera and looked at my players at the beginning of the season and how the play has improved from beginning to now: I take my wins and my losses in all kinds of different avenues,” Lesh said.

The team was led by six seniors in 2019, and Lesh now has to deal with those players leaving before the next season.

Lesh said, “Well, like any good coach, I need the younger players to step into the roles that our departing seniors are already filling. I need those younger players to be varsity players now. It’s just starting to dawn on them that they need to step up for next year, and I see some of the sophomores already that are practicing and getting ready for next season.”