Tahoma High senior Maddy Turek has her sights set on a return trip to the 4A state tennis tournament and this year she wants to bring home a singles medal.

Turek started taking tennis lessons around age 6 and plays year round at the Boeing Tennis Center in addition to playing for Tahoma.

“I really got into it,” Turek said.

Turek and her teammate finished third in doubles at state Turek’s sophomore year and she finished in the top 16 in singles last year.

“So far (it’s) going well,” Turek said. “Our team is pretty strong this year, we have lots of upperclassmen and freshmen too.”

Turek has gone undefeated in matches so far this year and that’s a streak she plans on extending.

The challenge of getting better throughout the season and the fun dynamic of the team is something Turek has appreciated about Tahoma girls tennis and looked forward to every year.

“It is pretty easy to get good at but then as the levels get higher it gets a lot harder,” Turek said.

Once you get the basics down it’s the little things that can make a big difference according to Turek. One aspect of the game that Turek especially enjoys is serving.

“It’s one of my best shots,” she said.

The strategy and precision that tennis requires have also been a draw to Turek and kept her coming back to the sport.

“I like how it’s more of an individual sport and the mental aspect of it,” Turek said. “You have to not get too excited.”

The Tahoma tennis team finished third in the South Puget Sound League North last year with a record of 6-4. The team is off to a rough start this year with losses to Kentridge, Kentwood and Mt. Rainier. The match against Kent-Meridian was rained out and results from the March 28 match against Kentlake weren’t reported as of press time.