Miyamura senior gives it her all at tennis championship
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
Ashley Matkovich didn’t know much about tennis going into her freshman year of high school. But after “messing around” on the courts one day with her friends, the Miyamura tennis coach saw her and suggested that she come to a practice or two to try the sport out. Not long after she attended that first practice, Ashley decided to join the school’s team.
Flash forward four years, and Ashley set one goal for herself going into her senior season: to make it to state.
She accomplished that goal, and competed in the 2025 New Mexico Athletic Association State Tennis Championships singles competition for Class A- 4A May 7 in Albuquerque. She ultimately lost in that first round to Bosque High School’s Leah Lovato. Ashley said she looked Lovato up before the match, and knew that she would be tough competition.
“I was very excited to be able to go to state, especially because I was the only one on the team to make it,” she said. “… I just kept thinking ‘As long as I do my best, the outcome doesn’t matter. I made it to state, I’m playing a very challenging undefeated opponent, so as long as I did my best and I did good I was proud of myself.’”
Ashley said her favorite thing about tennis is the competitiveness of it.
“I really like the competition of it,” she said. “I like playing on my own mostly because I get really into it.”
She said the hardest part about the sport is trying to improve.
“I would say the hardest part is trying to improve your skills or if you’re just getting into it, building those skills, because it does take a while to get consistent and get it to where you want it,” she explained.
Now that she’s graduated, Ashley has big plans for the future. She will be attending the University of New Mexico-Gallup’s branch to study cosmetology, and then she plans to move on to go to New Mexico State University to study criminal justice and forensic science after one year at UNM-Gallup.
COACHING HIS DAUGHTER
Danny Matovich has spent the past three years watching his daughter compete in the sport she loves, and when his daughter’s team lost their coach before Ashley’s senior season, Danny decided to step up, despite not knowing much about the sport.
He said he only stepped in after the school spent months looking for a new coach. This will be his one and only year coaching the sport.
“I really don’t have a tennis background, so for the sake of the team I’m hoping they can find someone with a strong tennis background to take that program over [for next year],” Danny said.
He said that as a dad, watching Ashley meet her goal of making it to the state competition, was great, but also nerve wracking.
“I found it interesting because I knew it was nerve wracking the previous three years that she’s played; I got really into it and it was like I lived and died with every single point,” Danny said. “This year was a unique challenge because I actually found myself having those same feelings with the whole team. So I spent every match watching and I was on pins and needles the whole time just rooting so hard for every single point. I think I have a little bit more gray hair after this season.”
The Lady Patriots almost made it to state for the team championships, only missing the opportunity by one match. Most of the girls were playing tennis for the first time, so Danny said he’s still proud of his team no matter what.
