The small but energetic crowd buzzes with excitement as Kylie Phommasack rears her racket behind her head. Then, in a burst of power, she sends the tennis ball flying at high speeds until it kisses the baseline of the court. Point Huntley.  

A successful serve for Phommasack and a successful night for the Raiders. In a crucial 5-2 win, the Raiders beat out Cary Grove High School on Sept. 23. This pushes the Raiders to a season record of 13-1 and a 9-1 record in the Fox Valley Conference.

Cary Grove and Huntley had similar records; both had only one loss to Jacobs High School. Junior Michelle Chan says the difference between the teams is the energy and the team atmosphere.

“The energy is amazing,” Chan said. “You feel so confident when you know your team is cheering you on.”

The team was led by a stellar performance from singles player and junior Ruhi Gulati, who blew past her opponent 6-0 and 6-0. Gulati was on the 2019 All Area 1st Team and has made multiple appearances at the state tournament. 

Another strong match came from doubles team Michelle “Mishi” Barnvos and Phommasack, who won 6-2 and 6-2. Together, their impressive agility and unmistakably loud cheers made for an unbeatable pair. 

Keep an eye out for this team in the postseason. Wednesday’s win will keep them in conference play, but their team connection and energy could take them even further.