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Orem senior Maya Inouye gets congratulated by her teammates after the 4A girls tennis No. 1 singles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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The Orem girls tennis team poses for a photo with the runner-up trophy after the 4A finals at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Maya Inouye hits a shot during the 4A girls tennis No. 1 singles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem sophomores Madison Cockrell (left) and Annabelle Baker smile as they take the court during the 4A girls tennis No. 2 doubles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Maya Inouye shakes hands with Hillcrest junior Fabiana Gonzalez after the 4A girls tennis No. 1 singles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem sophomore Madison Cockrell hits a shot during the 4A girls tennis No. 2 doubles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem sophomore Annabelle Baker hits a shot during the 4A girls tennis No. 2 doubles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Maya Inouye hits a shot during the 4A girls tennis No. 1 singles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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The Orem girls tennis team poses for a photo with the runner-up trophy after the 4A finals at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Orem senior Maya Inouye hits a shot during the 4A girls tennis No. 1 singles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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The Provo team of senior Josephine Denton and junior Sophie Astle competes during the 4A girls tennis No. 2 doubles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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The Provo team of senior Josephine Denton and junior Sophie Astle competes during the 4A girls tennis No. 2 doubles final at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

Sometimes dreams do come true — even in unexpected ways.

Orem senior Maya Inouye had two dreams fulfilled in Saturday’s No. 1 singles final against Hillcrest junior Fabiana Gonzalez in the 4A girls tennis tournament at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City.

The first was the dream every tennis player has: To win the state championship.

“My freshman year I took state in No. 2 singles,” Inouye said. “This was way more intense and dramatic. It meant a lot. It’s been my goal since I won my freshman year. I wanted to win one more at first singles. I’m so emotional because my dream came true.”

What Inouye couldn’t have known was that how it happened would fulfill another dream she had one night just prior to the state tournament, one where she won the title — but no one applauded or cheered.

The battle between the Tiger star and Gonzalez was an absolute classic with the two girls fighting through ups and downs. Inouye had to take a couple of medical timeouts because her leg muscles were cramping so badly she could barely move.

“That was my first time ever to have that happen,” Inouye said. “I was crying the first time it happened because I thought I was going to have to pull out. The second time, though, I was going to keep going. Then I was just praying it didn’t happen again because the judge said that was my last timeout. I was stressed but they stayed good.”

Inouye fell behind 6-5 in the deciding third set and the game went to deuce, but the Orem senior got the points she needed to force a tiebreak to determine the championship.

Inouye then seized control, winning five of the first six points in the first-to-seven contest. But Gonzalez didn’t give up and fought off a championship point.

With the score at 6-4, Inouye hit a hard groundstroke the clipped the net cord. A fraction of an inch lower and it would’ve bounced back and been a point for Gonzalez.

But the shot had just enough power to trickle over the top and die on Gonzalez’s side of the net where the Huskie star had no chance to get to it.

It was over and Inouye had won the title, but the watching crowd sat in stunned silence for a long moment — just as Inouye had dreamed — due to the bizarre nature of the final point.

“She is one of my best friends, so I just felt horrible,” Inouye said. “I just started crying because that’s not a fair way to end the match. I wanted to win it on a good point. I guess I’ll take it. It’s tennis.”

Orem sophomores Madison Cockrell and Annabelle Baker had just won their own state title in No. 2 doubles but when they heard the Inouye was in the tiebreak, they sprinted across the tennis complex to watch the dramatic finale.

“It was so sad,” Cockrell said.

Baker agreed and said: “I felt so bad for her (Gonzalez). It was crazy.”

The Orem senior really didn’t know how to describe the mixture of emotions she felt after winning.

“I just fought for my life, I guess,” Inouye said. “The biggest thing that helped me win was remembering why I play tennis. This is my senior year, so remembering the love I have for it helped me stay loose and play well — well enough to win.”

It was a little more straightforward for Baker and Cockrell, who defeated Provo senior Josephine Denton and junior Sophie Astle in straight sets in their final.

“I was so excited,” Baker said. “It felt so good. I’d thought about it and I didn’t think we would win. I thought we would get close but it was exciting.”

Cockrell said the key to winning was focusing on the basics.

“Like our coach always says, getting first serves in, moving forward and having energy, playing off each other, that made the difference,” Cockrell said.

Baker, Cockrell and Inouye were part of a strong Orem showing that saw Tiger athletes reach the semifinals in all five categories.

“I’m really proud of the girls,” Orem head coach Clark Barton said. “We’ve improved at every position. Maya, our No. 1 girl, has deserved this. She played extremely well. Our kids played as well as they could play.”

The Tigers ended up just a few points behind Green Canyon as the No. 1 doubles team for the Wolves won the final match to push Orem into second place.

“We controlled everything we could, so I was pleased,” Barton said.

Inouye said she couldn’t be more proud of how her entire team did at state this year.

“One of the biggest things I focus on is doing it for my team,” the Tiger senior said. “I don’t have time to doubt and play for myself. Having my team to support me and doing it for them, that’s what got me that win.”