Doubles team of Zumwalt and Volk finish 7th in 2A SPSL Tournament

Eight members of the Eatonville girls tennis team traveled to Clover Park High School last week to compete in the 2A South Puget Sound League tournament, and while the results were mixed across the lineup, the No. 1 doubles team of Jessie Zumwalt and Isabel Volk saved some of their best tennis of the season for the biggest stage of the year.

Eatonville's Jessie Zumwalt, left, and Isabel Volk pose before their Day 2 matches at the 2A SPSL League tournament at Clover Park High School on May 8. The No. 1 doubles teammates went on to finish seventh in the league after a three-set comeback win over Steilacoom on Friday. Photo: Alex Christensen

The three-day tournament, held May 7 through May 9, featured competition across singles and doubles brackets. For head coach Alex Christensen and the Cruisers, the week produced moments of resilience, fight and individual growth, particularly from the pair that carried Eatonville the furthest into the draw.

"Both Isabel and Jessie played their best tennis of the year this week," Christensen said.

In singles play, Charlotte Stumph and Haydin Kolowitz each represented Eatonville on the individual side of the bracket. Both players dropped their first two matches of the tournament and were eliminated Thursday, ending their postseason runs earlier than the team had hoped. Still, the experience of competing at the league level provided valuable exposure for both players.

The No. 3 doubles team of Claire Bertram and Toryn Amaral also saw their tournament end Thursday. After dropping into a loser-out match, Bertram and Amaral pushed Clover Park in a competitive, back-and-forth contest before falling 4-6, 5-7. The score reflected how close the match was throughout, with the Cruisers refusing to make it easy on their opponent at any point.

The No. 2 doubles team of Rilynne Johnson and Emma Abston turned in one of the early highlights of the tournament when they dominated Foss in their opening match, winning 6-0, 6-1. The straight-sets victory showed what the pair was capable of when firing on all cylinders. However, the Cruisers were unable to carry that momentum into subsequent rounds, dropping matches to Steilacoom and Fife and bowing out of the tournament.

It was the No. 1 doubles team, though, that gave Eatonville fans the most to follow and the most to celebrate as the week progressed.

Zumwalt and Volk opened tournament play Wednesday against Clover Park, delivering a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win that set the tone for their week. The performance announced their presence in the bracket and moved them into a match against Franklin Pierce, who would go on to win the doubles tournament outright. Even against that caliber of opponent, the Cruisers competed. Eatonville pushed Franklin Pierce in both sets before ultimately falling 3-6, 3-6, a result that spoke to the quality of the match rather than a lack of effort or preparation.

Advancing into Friday's rounds, Zumwalt and Volk faced Steilacoom in what turned into the most dramatic match of the tournament for the Cruisers. The first set did not go their way at all, as Eatonville dropped it 0-6. At that moment, the match could have gotten away from them entirely. Instead, the pair regrouped, refocused and put together back-to-back strong sets to take the match 0-6, 6-4, 6-2 and advance.

"Our girls had to show a lot of resilience and fight against a spirited Steilacoom squad," Christensen said.

Christensen credited both players for what they brought to the court all week. Volk was described as solid throughout the tournament, with her serving and groundstrokes providing a consistent foundation. She also expanded her game by stepping up to the net more aggressively during the week, adding a dimension to her play that made the team harder to defend. Zumwalt, meanwhile, was praised for her smart, steady approach from the baseline, a style of play that created opportunities for her partner and kept opponents off balance.

"Isabel was solid all tournament with her serving and groundstrokes," Christensen said. "She also stepped up playing the net this week. Jessie played smart tennis throughout the week, playing a steady baseline game that set up her partner at the net."

Their run came to an end Friday when Eatonville dropped its final match to Washington, which placed the Cruisers doubles team seventh overall.

Despite the seventh-place finish, the week was not without silver linings. Eatonville’s doubles team of Zumwalt and Volk earned the designation of first alternates to the district tournament, meaning they remain just one withdrawal or disqualification away from extending their postseason.

For a program that brought eight competitors to one of the most competitive tournaments in the 2A classification, the week offered lessons in perseverance and a glimpse of what Zumwalt, Volk and the rest of the Cruisers are capable of when the moment calls for their best.