BHS’ girls tennis team played with determination and grit as they competitively battled in their senior night match against Castro Valley High School on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Despite Berkeley’s strong effort, their three match wins fell to Castro Valley’s four, ultimately handing the visitors the win on the night.
Before the match, Berkeley honored their seniors through gifts, speeches, and posters crafted by teammates. Fueled by the senior ceremony, Berkeley entered the match with confidence and enthusiasm.
“(Our) seniors had a lot of momentum because it was one of our last matches, they really wanted to win,” Francesca Martinez-Bertolini, BHS junior, said.
After multiple matches ended in a deuce and BHS entered the third and final set, adrenaline was pumping for the players and coaches, especially the seniors. “I definitely felt more pressure to win as a senior tonight,” Cid Frydman, BHS senior, said. After Berkeley and Castro Valley’s scores were tied, the match came down to a singles tiebreaker. Following a tight battle, Berkeley ultimately lost to Castro Valley.
Tensions rose as many BHS players began to question the other team’s calls, particularly when the opponents ruled their balls out. In high school tennis, players typically make their own calls, and players have to trust that the call comes from integrity, which can quickly lead to disagreement. “We did have to call a line judge on them because they were calling a lot of our balls out and we didn’t agree with it,” Martinez-Bertolini said. For Frydman, she felt Castro Valley’s tendency to make calls contributed to her and her partner’s loss. “It was just getting to a point where the reason why we’re losing is because of these bad calls,” Frydman said.
Through the frustration, teammates on the sidelines who had already played their matches continued to cheer their teammates on, “That’s the really nice thing about our team is that we cheer each other on no matter what,” Marilyn Whiteside, BHS senior, said.
Regardless of the loss, Berkeley remained competitive throughout a closely contested match, while the evening served as a memorable celebration for the seniors preparing to leave the team.