Sage Hill School’s girls’ varsity tennis team came in fourth place in the 8th Annual Girls’ Prep Classic Team Tournament on Sept. 20-21 at The Tennis Club.

The team competed against JSerra Catholic High School, which came in first place, St. Ignatius College Preparatory of San Francisco, which took second and Bishop Gorman High School of Las Vegas, which finished in third.

“All of these schools have incredible tennis players, and the team has improved tremendously by participating in events like this,” tennis coach A.G. Longoria said. “Learning through experience is so important for us, and it’ll prepare us for Academy League play.”

The All Tournament Team from Sage Hill School included sophomore Connie Yu and junior Poonam Patel, who were chosen for their outstanding sportsmanship and passion for tennis. Constantly encouraging each other and enthusiastically playing their very best, they were the tennis team’s role models during the tournament.

Girls’ varsity tennis also played Newport Harbor High School on Sept. 24 at The Tennis Club. It is the last match before the team begins playing against Academy League schools.

“We’ve learned so much,” sophomore Connie Yu said. “All of these recent tournaments have challenged us to play with endurance and focus, and throughout the process, we gained more confidence and discipline too. A month ago, we would have been nervous, but now we’re confident and excited to start League play.”