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Osan tennis team ends the season in style
Michaela Kim reaches to return via her forehand.
Osan's Michaela Kim took first place in the girls No. 1 singles draw. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea – Angeline Kim has certainly fought through her share of pain during the just-completed tennis season.

The Osan freshman left-hander finished second to her twin sister Michaela in the Far East Division II Tournament singles final two weeks ago despite an inflamed toe on her left foot.

And on Friday, she pushed through despite a headache and a stomachache to outlast Stine Meessen of Korea International 4-1, 4-0. Kim won the Korea district Red Division tournament’s No. 2 singles title and helped power the Cougars to the girls team title.

“My head hurts,” Kim said following the championship match. “It’s nice to see Osan win something. It’s been so long. I’m so thankful to my teammates and my family who cheered me on at the tournaments.”

Osan won more than just something.

The Cougars girls won Korea’s Red Division regular-season and tournament team titles, as well as the school banner in the Far East D-II tournament – a first for Osan in the school’s 32-year history.

“I’m really happy that we won the ‘Triple Crown,’” Michaela Kim said.

“I’m so proud of all of us,” said senior Gavriella Duran, who teamed with Camilla Kim to win the No. 1 doubles title. “Osan is not known for athletics. We definitely came out to change that. I’m glad to be a part of that for my senior year.”

On their home courts Friday, the Cougars won five of 10 total singles and doubles titles, four on the girls side. Michaela Kim took the No. 1 singles crown with a 4-2, 4-2 win over Korea International’s Clara Oh.

Osan’s other winners were Gates Gleason and Tani Biacan in the girls No. 2 doubles and Brigham Mitchell in the boys No. 3 singles.

Michaela and Angeline Kim each went unbeaten during the Korea season and tournament. Angeline Kim dropped just four games the entire Korea season, including one to Meessen. Mitchell was the only boys player to take a game off four-time champion Ryunosuke Roesch of Yokota during the Far East D-II tournament.

It’s just Mitchell’s second season of competitive tennis. “I picked it up quickly, but I had a lot to improve on,” he said. “But I had a lot of help. My teammates and my coaches picked me up a lot.”

Angeline Kim connects.
Osan's Angeline Kim took first place in the girls No. 2 singles draw. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

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