The Osseo High girls’ tennis team’s overall record of 10-9 during the regular 2018 season does not look that impressive. However, the record has extra significance when one considers the recent program history. The 2018 Orioles became the first Osseo girls’ tennis squad to post a winning record in many years.

The Orioles then made another historical step when they beat Minneapolis Henry 7-0 in a Section 5 first-round match last week. That was the first time Osseo won a section match in over 20 seasons, according to Oriole assistant coach Brian Rusche.

The 10th-seeded Orioles almost made it to the quarterfinal round when they battled seventh-seeded St. Michael-Albertville evenly in the quarterfinal before losing 4-3 Oct. 3. Osseo swept the three doubles matches while STMA won all the four singles matches, including the decisive first singles where Osseo junior Jessica Dahl lost a tough match 7-5, 7-5.

“We finished the regular season with a 10-9 record and won the first section match for the first time in 20-plus years,” Rusche said. “That means this year’s graduating seniors leave a winning legacy for the players who will return next year. Seniors on the varsity roster are Sophie Almquist, Laura Denchfield, Karissa Erickson, Maddie Gilbertson, and Kaylee McPherson.”

Almquist and Denchfield are top doubles players and McPherson fills the second or third singles slot most of the time.

“This is a winning team on several levels,” observed Orioles head coach Eric Ruska. “The record is proof enough, but they also play with class and great sportsmanship. Osseo players are grinders during matches, and they improve every week through plain hard work at our practices.”

Some of the Orioles will have more matches to play in the section individual tournament.

“We still have challenge matches going on before we settle on our singles entries and doubles pairings for individual sectionals,” Rusche said. “The only for sure is Jessica Dahl in singles, seeded seventh.”

Orioles who are battling each other for section spots are McPherson, Almquist, Tori Askwith, Tina Corniea, Denchfield, Rachel Erickson, Jaelon Irmiter, Hana Johnson, Greta Kitelinger, Chloe Lewis, Sydney Masteller, Sophie Tharp, Natalie Wills and Rachel Zeltinger.