SNOQUALMIE – Mount Si tennis coach Sue Gallacher knows there’s only one way to go from last season and that’s up.

Gallacher, entering her seventh season at the helm of the lady Wildcats’ tennis team, is confident the squad can improve upon an 0-8 finish in 2003.

Following a solid tryout period (46 girls turned out) the team will slate 10 varsity players and 21 junior varsity members. With 12 of the junior varsity players freshman, the future looks promising, but so does the present.

Six seniors will lead the varsity squad, including No. 1 Jaclyn Boals. Other seniors include Taryn Ellison, Erin Hart, Tennyson Salopek, Audrey Christenson and Amy Keogh. The lone newcomer is sophomore Alina Plavsky.

Gallacher sees promise in Plavsky.

“She’s a real competitive kid, plays with a lot of heart, and that’s exactly what I’m looking for so I couldn’t be happier,” said Gallacher.

Gallacher sees Mercer Island winning the Kingco title once again this season “hands down.” As to the Mount Si program being able to compete against the strength that Mercer Island and others like Newport, Sammamish and Bellevue bring in from year to year, developing kids at an early age is important.

“We need kids to start playing when they’re in elementary [and] middle school and then you’re going to be equal to Mercer Island and Newport. It’s a process,” she said.

Ellison is looking for improvement from her teammates.

“I expect us to do a lot better than we were last season. A lot of the girls have improved a lot. Hopefully it’ll be a better season for us,” said the senior.

These dozen freshmen playing junior varsity have a lot to learn yet. The seniors are helping out in that.

“We’ve been helping out on their basics, just teaching them the basic ground stroke and serves and volleys, especially during tryouts week,” said Ellison.

Gallacher expects more from them.

“We do the work here and like I said, they got to go out and do the work after the season is done and get in the clubs and take some lessons and we hope they come back as better players next year,” said the coach.

Boals is excited about her ast season as a Wildcat.

“Just hope to like make the best of it and enjoy all season,” said the top player on the team.