Teaming Their Talents

Madeline Prins and Lizzie Belokonnyi played integral roles in the Palisades High girls tennis team’s run to the City Section championship last November.

One goal, however, was not reached and what they were unable to achieve separately they hope to do together this season.

“The most important thing is winning the team title again, but a personal goal is to win the Individual doubles since I came so close last year,” Prins said. “I know Lizzie feels the same way and it’s what we’ve been working towards since last season.”

Prins and Belokonnyi played with different partners a year ago, Prins reaching the finals  of the City Individuals with Julie Takakjian (now a student at UCLA) and Belokonnyi finishing third with Katie Vincent (now at BYU). They were with each other practically every day all summer, attending a tennis camp at Riviera Country Club for four weeks followed by a week-long camp at  Pepperdine.

“We’re both really aggressive, but one of the things we’ve improved a lot the last few months is our consistency,” Belokonnyi said. “We’ve got our signals down and one of the things we do is fake poaching. And we have good communication. We like to yell at each other in French.”

Although they are only juniors, Prins and Belokonnyi have been named team captains along with senior Izzy Guterson and Coach Sean Passan said they earned that role by sharpening their strokes in the offseason.

“They still have to earn the No. 1 spot, but it makes sense because both were No. 1 and No. 2 with their partners last year, they play different sides of the court and they put so much work in over the summer. There’s a reason why I picked them as captains. They’re dedicated tennis players.”

The duo’s results speak for themselves. After reaching the finals of the Northridge Spring Junior Tournament in April, they were runners-up in the 18s division at the Costa Mesa Summer Junior Classic in July.

“Costa Mesa was really hard because it was a three-hour drive each way for five days straight,” said Prins, who lives near campus and attended Palisades Elementary and Paul Revere Middle School before Pali High. “Lizzie is good at the baseline and sets me up for put-aways at the net. Our styles go together well.”

While Prins and Takakjian lost to Granada Hills sisters Samantha and Sarah Nuno in their final match together, Belokonnyi and Vincent ended last season on a high note, defeating another Granada Hills pair, Emily Davenport and Kelly Pedraza, in straight sets.

“Katie and I just clicked,” said Belokonnyi, a Brentwood resident who also went to Paul Revere. “Prior to last year we were both singles players, so neither of us knew we’d be good at doubles.”

Belokonnyi plays the deuce court and Prins the ad court. Both were dancers as young girls, which helped with their flexibility. Now it’s all about tennis and reaching their goals together.