The varsity tennis team delivered a strong performance at the Private School State Championship Tournament in College Station, finishing as the tournament runner-up.
Unlike traditional formats, the boys and girls varsity athletes competed as one team, battling through 13 matches in each round. The first team to secure seven match victories would advance.
Kinkaid started strong, taking down Concordia in the first round. They carried that momentum into the second round, where they faced off against Strake Jesuit and St. Agnes, securing another dominant win.
Later defeating John Cooper in the third round, Kinkaid earned a spot in the finals. However, their championship hopes were dashed in a hard-fought match against St. John’s, who clinched the title.
“We fought hard and won our first three rounds, but lost sadly in the finals to St. Johns. I’m proud of this team and our fight and look forward to the rest of the season,” junior Gus Pielop said.
The team’s lineup featured standout performances across the board.
The boys’ doubles teams consisted of Senior Gabriel Xiu and Gus Pielop as the first pair, with Freshman Owen Moorad and Sophmore Mateo Arnold playing as the second pair. The mixed doubles match featured Sophmore Kush Hingorani partnering with Freshman Madeline Peters. In singles, Gabriel Xu, Gus Pielop, Mateo Arnold, and Kush Hingorani represented Kinkaid. For the girls, Junior Jasmine Nyguen, Freshman Lana Nyguen, Junior Hannah Holmsten, and Sophmore Phoebe Bialas led the singles lineups.
Despite the tough loss in the final, Kinkaid had plenty to celebrate, including Nguyen’s recognition as the Girls MVP of the tournament.
“It was really fun because it was the first tournament we played as a team this season. Getting MVP was a nice surprise,” Nguyen said.
While Kinkaid fell just short of the championship, the team’s resilience and skill demonstrated the players’ strength and determination throughout the tournament. With this impressive showing, the squad set the stage for a run at the Southwest Preparatory Conference trophy at the end of May.
