A group of young athletes from Sippican Tennis Club held their own against 31 other teams from around the country at the United States Tennis Association's Junior Team Tennis 18U Intermediate National Championships. The team came in 14th place overall in the Oct. 22 to 24 tournament.

"Everyone's been playing a lot of tennis," said team member Sam Pasquill. "I think everyone was ready to play."

The Marion team, coached by Chick Renfrew, includes Alex Bilodeau, Joshua Lerman and Olivia Bellefeuille of Marion; Margo Cannell and Sam Pasquill of Mattapoisett; Parker Tonissi of Chestnut Hill, Rebecca Kendall Newton and Isabelle Nolan of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The tennis players, ranging in age from 15 to 18, qualified for the USTA championship for the second year in a row after winning the New England Championship in August.

The group traveled to the Cayce Tennis Center in Cayce, South Carolina for the national tournament.

The national championships are the final event of the year for the USTA Junior Team Tennis. Each year the USTA crowns a national champion in two age divisions (14U and 18U) in both the intermediate and advanced play divisions.

“I look at the national championships as a year-end celebration for teams who battled through local play, and then through area, district and section championships,” said Matt Barnhart, national manager for USTA Junior Team Tennis.

Established in 1991, USTA Junior Team Tennis provides youth with an opportunity to compete with and against individuals of similar ages and skill levels. More than 99,000 players compete nationwide.

The championships were by far the largest tennis event Pasquill has competed in and he enjoyed the challenge.

"There were a lot of good kids there. No kids that were too easy or too good. It was really good competition," said the Old Rochester Regional sophomore.

Pasquill said he and his teammates got encouragement from coach Renfrew.

"He’s always got some words of advice," said Pasquill. But ultimately, "It’s a mental game so you have to keep yourself under control."

Pasquill said he's proud of how the team did and he plans to take a swing at the nationals again next year.

"I definitely think we'll have a chance to go back next year and do a little bit better," he said.

Visit the USTA Junior Team Tennis website at ustajtt.com for results and information on how the Marion team fares.