Competition is alive and well on the Upper Perkiomen's girls tennis team. The No. 2 and No. 3 singles spots are up for grabs, as well as all four doubles spots, according to head coach John Williamson.

            On Monday, the coach started a round-robin tournament among seven

Gail Kooser reaches for a lob shot during tennis practice Tuesday afternoon.

competing teams. Williamson said he hopes to finish the competition by the end of the week.

            "It makes things real when you are playing for something," the coach said. "It's some good incentive. I think it's the fairest way to do this. The girls have to earn their spots."

            Williamson expressed hope that the internal rivalries, and a healthy number of players, will lead to additional wins this season for the Indians. Last year, they went 2-9 in the Pioneer Athletic Conference and 2-10 overall.

            "We have to go out and do it," said the coach, whose team opens its season Aug. 28 at home against Pope John Paul II.

            Sophie Jago, a senior, has high expectations for the team. "This is my last season with the tennis team and I have high hopes for this season," she wrote in an email message. "I hope that even after I graduate the girls will still strive to accomplish great things whether it's for tennis or something else."

            Upper Perkiomen lost only one key contributor to graduation. Maddy Gochnauer, a junior, has returned as the team's No. 1 singles player. Gochnauer has improved her game by developing more consistency and a variety of shots, according to Williamson.

            "Maddy has played No. 1 before, so she knows what to expect," he said. "She should be able to win a few more matches than last year."

            As a sophomore, Gochnauer won her initial match at the conference's Singles Championship. She posted a 9-8 victory over Abby Green, of Boyertown. However, a second round loss to Julia Gumieniak, the No. 4 seed from Phoenixville, eliminated her. Gochnauer's goal is to advance further in this year's tournament, according to the coach.

            A pair of juniors will fill the Indians' remaining singles spots. However, Sklyer Gianfriddo and Olivia Sharadin are competing for the No. 2 slot. Their talent levels are pretty even and their games are similar, according to Williamson.

            "I don't know how it's going to shake out," he said. "They are both competitive people. They both hit the ball pretty hard."

            The doubles competition will include the Indians' top two returning doubles teams, which consist of seniors Olivia Dick and Gail Kooser, along with Jago and Rachel Burns, respectively.

            "I think Rachel and I balance each other out when playing in a match," Jago wrote. "Neither one of us are great at just one thing or not the best at something else. Personally I see room for improvement in all aspects on the court for both Rachel and I, but it just means we're young and human."

            Four additional juniors have paired up. Shelby Livingstone is playing with Carly Jenkins, while Rachel Godshall is competing with Sianni Camarata.

            "The skill level among all the team is pretty even," Williamson said. "I expect a lot of close matches. The situation will sort itself out."