Another spring, another tennis season at Boothbay Region High School. The Lady Seahawks tennis team began practicing March 31 to ready for their first match on April 22, which is at home against Wiscasset's Lady Wolverines.

Coach Alex Arsenault, returning for his fifth season with the team, advised the Seahawks' first scrimmage would be April 9 at Lincoln Academy in Newcastle. Click here for the full season game schedule. 

“I have high hopes for this team. If we keep working hard and getting better every day, we should reach our potential right at the right time – playoffs,” Arsenault said.

The 2013 players are seniors Alison Cook (captain), Shaylee Sibley (captain), and Jessie Vander; juniors Courtney Chaney (captain) and Dana Greenleaf, Chloe Hoecker; and freshmen Anna Baumm, Angela Mahon and Mackenzie Colby.

Like last season, the team will have to play home matches in the YMCA's Marylouise Tandy Cowan Field House due to the deteriorated condition of the outdoor tennis court. But, with plans moving ahead to replace the outdoor court, Arsenault expects the team will play home matches there in 2014.

In 2012, Arsenault expressed concern for the team's disadvantage of practicing and playing indoor matches while their competitors played outdoors, adapting their swing and strategy to the wind and sun. The Lady Seahawks played strong and ended the season 7-5, seventh in Western Maine Class C besting Mountain Valley, Spruce Mountain, Mt. Abram, Carrabec, Monmouth and Wiscasset. The Lady Seahawks played against Dirigo in the semifinals, but lost narrowly, 3-2.

Returning players Sibley, Cook, Vander, Chaney and Greenleaf bring their experience as well as talent to the courts.

Arsenault recalled Sibley lost only one match in 2012.

“She knows her competition will be tougher this year. So we have been trying to develop a couple weapons,” Arsenault said. “Her serve is much stronger this year. Chaney and Cook hope to also pick up where they were last year. They both have been working extremely hard during the pre-season to reach their potential during the season.”

Vander and Greenleaf put down their competitive racquets last year, but are back on the court. This is Vander's last year as a Seahawk and Arsenault is looking for her to bring her tennis skills to the team's singles line-up. Greenleaf is one of the team's good doubles players who Arsenault noted has been working hard for the upcoming season.

All three freshmen have tennis experience and they and Hoecker have strong doubles potential.

“They are all hard workers with great personalities and the team seems to get along well. We should be right up there near the top competing in the Mountain Valley Conference,” Arsenault said.