Squalicum graduate Bernadine Salvatierra and Sehome graduate Claire Stodola ended their high school tennis careers with a bronze medal in the Girls Gold Doubles division at the first annual Shoreline Slam tournament.
“It was fun playing with Bernadine because I never played with anyone that high level,” Stodola said. “It was fun playing more competitive doubles and with kids my age.”
The Shoreline Slam attracted more than 160 players from Washington, Canada and even Luxembourg on July 26–28 in Shoreline, King County.
“It was interesting because I usually know a lot of the kids and how they play but everyone was new and different,” Stodola said.
Both players failed to qualify for the state singles bracket during the 2A District 1 tournament at the end of high school, but Salvatierra wanted to play again before she competes at Division II Dominican University of California.
“I was playing singles in the tournament and wanted to play doubles, too,” Salvatierra said. “I thought Claire was the best person to ask.”
When Stodola saw Salvatierra’s text, she was ecstatic to reconnect with her and play before trying out for the Santa Clara University club team.
“Not making it to state was tough for me because it is a big thing,” Stodola said. “It was nice to play after, get in the groove and win something.”
Salvatierra and Stodola began playing tennis competitively as freshmen. In their four years, neither one played doubles since they were the top singles player at each school. They had one practice match the day before the Shoreline Slam and struggled.
They traveled to the tournament and were placed as the sixth seed out of eight doubles teams in the bracket.
Salvatierra and Stodola lost their first match to a Seattle Prep duo 4-6, 6-3, 10-3. However, the Bellingham pair responded with two straight wins to secure third place. Salvatierra and Stodola defeated a Silas team 8-0 and a Highline team 8-3.
“Claire was very aggressive and carried me at the net,” Salvatierra said. “It was nice having someone there to help me.”
Since the two of them will be about an hour away from each other, they have contemplated playing doubles at their colleges and also together in their free time.
Although the tournament catered to high schoolers, Salvatierra believed it prepared them for college tennis because “it felt a lot more competitive and it was fun to play a more fast-paced game.”
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
