Despite losing six seniors last year, Riverside girls tennis hasn’t skipped a beat.
With a win over Travelers Rest on Tuesday night, the Lady Warriors kept a lengthy unbeaten run going, staying perfect in 4-A Region 2 play.
“We lost six seniors last season, so coming into this year, I was a little nervous,” said Riverside girls tennis coach Erin Benfield. “I wondered how things would look, how it would feel without that huge class of girls. But things have gone very smoothly. Each girl that did return, they all came back a stronger and better player than they were before.”
Riverside is coming off an Upper State semifinal appearance in 2025, and an Upper State Championship bid in 2024.
A big reason for the Lady Warriors’ continued success despite losing a big senior class? Junior Ella McGrath, who was named team captain before the season. Despite leading a slightly less experienced roster than in years past, McGrath’s leadership has helped pave the way for the Riverside’s stellar play in 2026.
“Ella’s always gotten along with everyone on the team so well,” said Benfield. “She’s the sweetest. But she’s never been someone who’s extremely vocal, and I challenged her in that area as our captain. I’ve seen her truly blossom this year as a leader.”
“It meant a lot to even be chosen to be team captain,” said McGrath. “I’ve played here since I was in seventh grade, and I’ve always looked up to the older girls on the team. I always loved learning from previous team captains.”
Guiding a younger group than in previous years, McGrath has put an emphasis on team bonding and camaraderie. That manifests in the form of postgame ice cream runs and making TikToks for the team account, among other things.
Riverside's 2026 girls tennis team.
“Ella was always a great team player, but before this year, she may have gone straight home after a match to do homework or just do her own thing,” said Benfield. “But since she was named captain, she’s made it a point to be involved and do activities with the girls.”
McGrath, also a standout softball player for Riverside, says she didn’t fully expect to be named captain before the season. But as the year has rolled on, she’s embraced the responsibility. McGrath is making the younger girls on the team feel welcome and comfortable, with the goal of a state championship in sight — but not blinding.
“It’s about building my [teammates] up as people,” said McGrath. “I’ve been trying to really build relationships and get to know everyone better. That’s been the best part of it all.
“At the end of the day, we want to win. But it’s not just about the tennis. It’s about the girls, too.”
Riverside girls tennis roster
Ella McGrath
Sarah Brickey
Valentina Maset
Hope Fortson
Harper Meloon
Sharon Sim
Miriam Rieder
Eleanor McArthur
Lois Schriefer
Elena Sovern
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