Senior Anna Schmitz has helped the Ankeny girls’ tennis team to a 3-1 record, including a 3-0 mark in the CIML Iowa Conference. She is the Hawkettes’ No. 2 singles player.
On Thursday, Schmitz won both of her matches as the Hawkettes posted a 10-1 victory over Ankeny Centennial at the Prairie Ridge courts. Her singles win sealed Ankeny’s first-ever triumph over its crosstown rival.
Here is some inside info on Schmitz:
Congratulations on the historic win over Centennial. How did it feel to beat the Jaguars for the first time ever?
Thank you. As a team, we were all excited to finally overcome our crosstown rivals for the first time in school history. Being a senior also made this win extra special and really cool to be a part of.
Were you confident going into the meet that this would be the year to break the losing skid?
Something that really changed our team this year was the large number of girls putting in work during the offseason. Given that Centennial has always had a solid program, we knew that we had to play smart and solid in order to have that winning outcome. We were confident going into the meet that the work we had put in would pay off this year during that matchup, and it was awesome to see everyone out there competing to make that happen.
You came from behind to beat Jenna Benkufsky in three sets in the No. 2 singles match. What was the key to your turnaround after losing the first set in a tiebreaker?
After losing the tiebreaker, I really had to dial in and calm myself down. Since you are all alone during singles it’s really easy to get into your head which can ultimately change your game. The key for me the rest of the match was to play focused and confident while changing and adjusting to some of the strategies I used from the first set.
You also teamed up with Sydney Otto for a win in straight sets at No. 2 doubles. Do you feel like the two of you are developing some pretty good chemistry?
Sydney and I have actually known each other for a long time and are pretty good friends. I feel like our chemistry has allowed us to know what’s beneficial for one another on the court mentally and strategically which has helped us to have fun together.
I think you played with four different doubles partners last year, but you did play six matches with Sydney. Was that experience of playing together helpful coming into this season?
I think it has been beneficial to play with someone whose game I’m already familiar with. That experience has allowed us to adjust during games as we know how to pull out our individual strengths while playing tough competition or during pressure points.
Your team has been strengthened by the addition of some talented freshmen, including your sister Sophie, who is currently playing No. 6 singles and No. 1 doubles. Have you enjoyed having your sister on the team?
Getting to do a sport with my sister for the first time has been pretty cool, especially because this is my last season. We’re both pretty competitive, too, so I think that aspect has also been fun as we get to compete against each-other during practices.
Do you think the two of you might play doubles together at some point, and would you like to?
I think there’s a possibility we will get to play a doubles match together at some point this season. I think having that opportunity would be awesome and super memorable.
Your team is ranked ninth in Class 2A. Do you think that’s a sign of how far this program has come in the last couple of seasons?
Yes. After our team had its first winning season and state qualifier since the split last year, it became clear that our program has made many strides from where it was a few seasons ago. This season I feel our team has continued to change the name of Hawkette tennis as we have competed well against ranked teams, making school history during our crosstown rivalry matchup, as well as taking the title of the Boone Invitational which we took third at just one year ago.
Your team’s only loss came to No. 1 Dowling Catholic, 11-0, on Tuesday, even though the Maroons played without defending state singles champion Allison Szalay. Do you think anyone will be able to beat Dowling?
I think even without Szalay, Dowling is still one of the best teams in the state. They have a very deep lineup with multiple state placewinners and lots of varsity experience. I do think there are a few teams in the state that could possibly give Dowling a run for their money if they could gain and obtain some key matches.
Your team has a tough week ahead with four dual meets, beginning with Monday’s trip to No. 5 Johnston. What do you think a win over the Dragons would do for your team’s confidence?
A top-five team win would really encourage the momentum of our team mentally by further instilling our abilities to fight through adversity and challenges during our matches. Furthermore, a win would also continue to propel the motion of our team as we look onto postseason and the challenges that lie there.
Plans for next year? Would you like to play tennis somewhere?
Next year I’m planning on attending Iowa State University where I plan to major in Business Administration with a possible minor in Spanish. I do, however, still plan on joining the tennis club there to continue playing.