by DAVE FACINOLI
For a young group that included five freshmen and only two seniors, the Bishop O'Connell Knights girls tennis team amassed some significant accomplishments during the 2025 fall season. Four players, including a freshman, finished among the top four in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) singles tournament. Of the four, the lone champion was freshman Isabella Munoz. She won the No. 4 singles bracket with an undefeated 3-0 record and was chosen first team all-WCAC as a result of that accomplishment.
O'Connell played its home matches at Quincy Park this season, not at Bluemont Park like in past years.
"We had a young team and we were right where we anticipated we would be this season," said longtime O'Connell coach Eric Parson, who also coaches the O'Connell school's boys team during the spring season. "The players are getting much better. We are very excited about what is to come because our young players are developing."
Campbell Costello was another top player. The junior was the top seed and finished second in the No. 2 singles bracket in the WCAC tournament and had an 11-3 overall singles record. Costello was chosen second team all-WCAC.
"Campbell and Izzy both had outstanding seasons and played well in the tournament," Parson said.
Advancing to the WCAC tournament semifinals were sophomore Ava Fumich at No. 3 singles and junior Chloe Magielnicki at No. 5.
The Knights' two seniors on the team were Hannah Bock and Mia Heyse, who played No. 6 singles. Playing No. 1 singles was junior Helena Munoz.
"Helena obviously faced tough opponents all season," Parson said.
The doubles teams for the Knights consisted of Costello and Helena Munoz at No. 1, Fumich and Isabella Munoz at No. 2 and Bock and Magielnicki at No. 3. All three played in the WCAC doubles tournament.
Other O'Connell players were sophomore Sofia Rampoldi and freshmen Josephine Trinh, Meera Joshi, Savannah Hays and Isabella Curington.
In matches, O'Connell had a 5-3 record against conference opponents, including victories over top rivals St. Paul VI Catholic by a 7-2 score and Bishop Ireton 6-3.The Knights finished tied for third with Bishop McNamara in the WCAC standings. Ireton and Paul VI each finished with 4-4 records. The Knights' other victories against WCAC opponents came against Elizabeth Seton by a 5-4 final, and St. Mary's Ryken and Holy Cross by the same 8-1 marks. All of those teams finished below the Knights in the WCAC standings.
In non-conference action, O'Connell played and lost to Episcopal and St. Stephen's & St. Agnes, each of Alexandria. Both of those teams earned berths to play in the Division I private-school state tournament.
O'Connell was ranked as high as 10th in two of the three state's Division I top-10 polls this season. The top eight qualified for the state tournament.