The season began with a well-earned 5–2 win at UW–River Falls, where several players stood out. Those players include sophomore Emily Dreger, junior Vanessa Pham and graduate student Cora Andersen, who each secured victories in both their singles and doubles matches.
Shortly after their first match was the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Tournament. The ITA brings together the best division three tennis players from the midwest. Pham was one of the Piper players participating in the event, where she dominated the court securing a 7–5 and 6–0 win.
While the Pipers won their first match, the success ended shortly after when they battled in a tough 0–7 loss against the 2025 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) champions, Carleton College.
“They’re a good school, there’s nothing you can do about it, but I think it’s for sure helping us, giving us a strong mentality. We’ve been the closest we’ve ever been since I’ve been here,” Pham said. “We’ve been focusing on drilling and the fundamentals these past few days. We want to make those things second nature for the spring.”
Although the loss is one the Pipers would like to put behind them, they are instead focusing on team chemistry. While some might say that the bond amongst the team is one of their greatest strengths, they are trying to focus on leaning on their teammates in moments of adversity.
“I think we’re really close. We uplift each other and support one another,” Pham said.
Similar to her teammate, first-year Shayla Draper shared her perspective on how her first season with the team is going so far. She echoed Pham’s sentiment that the team environment is both fun and supportive.
“Everyone is really encouraging,” Draper said. “It’s a great atmosphere to be a part of, especially as a freshman.”
After reviewing the team’s recent match against Carleton, Draper noted that it served as motivation and highlighted the team’s focus on growth and improvement. She also provided some insight into how the season is structured, especially for those unfamiliar with the sport’s schedule.
“Our loss has just pushed the team to want to be better,” Draper said. “Fall season is kind of like preseason matches, and spring is competition season,” she said.
This setup allows the team to build chemistry and refine their skills before entering the more competitive stretch in the spring.
With a demanding schedule that stretches over half the year, staying physically and mentally prepared is essential. Though after hearing from both Draper and Pham, it is clear that the team is embracing the challenge.
The players are not only committed to improving but also excited for what lies ahead. The months to come will continue growth, and a team ready to compete.
As their fall season is coming to a close, they have one last competition against UW-La Crosse. Their competition season will continue on Feb. 12 against UW-Stevens Point. They will then continue to play against other teams in the conference to battle for their place.
They also have a training trip taking place in Orlando, Florida, during spring break. Their season is long and strenuous, but with the fun atmosphere and supportive teammates, the year ahead looks to be a successful one.
