Girls Tennis 2019 State Champions

The Ames High girls tennis team followed up their runner-up state finish from a year ago with a team state championship this season. The Little Cyclones completed their second consecutive undefeated regular season and qualified for the team state tournament for a 13th straight season.

Leading up to the team tournament, 4 players participated in the individual state tournament. Arunadee Fernando placed second in singles, Lauren Couves 4th, and the doubles team of Caitlyn Hanulikova and Chloe Wilson finished 6th overall.

The final four teams competed in Ankeny at the Prairie Ridge Sports Complex for a state title on June 1. After defeating Cedar Falls, they advanced to the finals for a rematch against Iowa City West, who they lost to a year ago. The six players would each play singles and doubles for a total of nine matches. The match score was tied 3-3 heading into doubles play. Fernando and Couves won their match in a tiebreaker, as did the team of Wilson and Hanulikova.

Head Coach Dustin Rhoads calls the state title “sweet redemption” from their lost a year ago, and it was the perfect end to a perfect 16-0 season.