Last season, the Beaver Bobcats fielded one of the best girls' tennis teams in the WPIAL.

This season, the team might even be better.

The top four players return from last season's team that went undefeated through the regular season and Section 2-AA play and advanced to the WPIAL Class AA championship match and PIAA semifinals.

"We're trying to be just as good," Beaver coach Riley Baker said. "There's some other good teams out there, too. Each year's a different goal. You try to do the best you can and hopefully your players improved during the offseason to be ready for this year."

It might be a scary thought for the rest of the WPIAL if the Bobcats improved through the offseason, particularly if that is the case for first singles player Kimmy Borza. Only a junior, Borza already is a two-time PIAA tournament qualifier.

Last season, Borza was the WPIAL Class AA singles runner up and PIAA semifinalist.

The youngest of the three Borza sisters -- Nikki and Kristy each played at Pitt -- Kimmy Borza is a seasoned tournament player who plays nationally.

"She's been playing a lot of high-ranked tournaments against college players," Baker said. "She's definitely gotten better than last year.

"[Competing for WPIAL and PIAA singles titles] would be her goal. She's definitely up there with the better players."

Placing one of the state's better players at the top of your lineup is a good place to start. But Beaver has more than just Borza. Baker said he has been impressed with how much the rest of the lineup has improved in the past year.

"All the girls who are playing on varsity were on varsity last year. Some of them were starters, but they all had experience and know each other and know what it takes to play at this level and what to do to get better," Baker said.

Senior Rachel Schartner was unquestionably the best second singles player in the section last season and was one of the better such players in the WPIAL.

She was runner-up to Borza in the section singles tournament and a WPIAL quarterfinalist. Schartner also teamed with Hannah Williams to breeze to the Section 2-AA doubles title and WPIAL doubles quarterfinals. Williams, a senior, plays third singles.

Senior Caroline Reina returns to her spot at first doubles, teaming this season with Katie Schmid, a junior who is a new starter. Reina was a partner of Francie Dragonjack last season when the duo was a section doubles finalist and WPIAL tournament qualifier.

Sophomore twins Laura and Rebecca Shute began the season at second doubles. Also in contention for lineup positioning are promising freshmen Kendra Tetrick and Grace Russell and seniors Annabelle Lemley and Tricia Boyle.

Baker is celebrating his 25th season as coach at Beaver. During that time, the Bobcats have been one of the WPIAL's better small-school programs (Class AA was formerly referred to as Division II). What's been the school's secret?

"Just to get them started playing young," Baker said.

Beaver went 14-0 in section play last season and 18-2 overall last season with the lone defeats coming to Quaker Valley in the WPIAL championship match and District 3 champion Wyomissing in the PIAA tournament.