The University of Alberta's tennis Pandas were fighting to stay alive in their fourth consecutive national championship, and things were looking grim.
"We were down in the overall score, and the team was a bit shaken," says team captain Emma Rutherford, recalling a crucial singles final in the summer of 2023 against Western University. She was facing an opponent she'd only ever played once and lost.
Rutherford fought with calm and steely determination, winning the match 6-4, 6-4 and putting the team within striking distance of taking the prize. A surge of confidence lifted the team.
In the final match of the tournament, Alexandra Jewitt managed to eke out a win in a nail-biting third-set tiebreaker. The Pandas had clinched their fourth straight national championship — their third with Rutherford on the team — a feat that hadn't been accomplished by any Pandas team in 20 years.
A team player and a "coach's dream"
Rutherford is keenly aware of the role she plays on the team. Sometimes it's not so much about showboating with flashy winners, but rather excelling on defence and showcasing the mental game — even if that means demonstrating how to lose.
"I feel like the way I carry myself has a huge impact on the team. If I'm super stressed or nervous, I have to put those feelings aside," she says. "I really try to focus on being that rock for the rest of the team during competitions.
"I tell myself, 'If I lose this match, it's not the end of the world, but I need to make it as long as possible and fight as hard as I can, because the rest of the team will feed off of that.'"
