Mallory Conner ended her season where every girls tennis player wished they could.

Still, the road there wasn’t easy.

For the third consecutive year, the senior finished the season in the District 11 Class 2A tennis final. Unfortunately, she came up short again, this time dropping a 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 decision to Allentown’s Central Catholic’s Bernadette Gasser — who beat Conner for the second straight year.

However, for her accomplishments this season, Conner claimed her third straight Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Female Tennis Player of the Year.

It could be safe to say that Conner doesn’t have a level playing field, or in this case — tennis court — like everyone else. With Northwestern not having a tennis team, Conner usually senses some duress at district time.

“I never thought my ‘tennis career’ was defined or even really much included in districts,” reflected Conner. “Those matches to me were really just extra pressure, two days of matches that in others’ eyes determine my whole success of the season because districts are all I have while everyone else gets a full season.

“They get other matches against other teams during the season, along with the district singles, doubles, and team districts. I only have two days each year. And to say my career was summed up in eight days wouldn’t be the truth.”

While playing outside of Northwestern, Conner gained a strong sense of self-revelation. In turn, she began to further develop.

“My career was more about the USTA tournaments and all the training behind the scenes,” said Conner. “ The junior tournaments are where I got to really showcase the player I am, weekend in and weekend out.

“There were tough matches, there were confidence boosting matches, and there were many fun weekends, but also ones where I learned a lot about myself.”

Through the years, Conner realized it was more of an inner struggle than an outward one.

“My career was built around the foundation of tennis as an individual sport,” said Conner. “It always was that way, even when I was younger. Yes, you get to play with other kids, but when it came time to compete in tournaments, it was only me.”

Brian Bleam, her coach and director of racquets at Brookside Country Club, understands Conner’s dilemma, and has strived to make her transition smoother. According to her coach, Conner is ranked 14th in the state among her peers.

“Mallory has been working hard over the last year,” said Bleam. “One of the obstacles was trying to find her some quality opponents since her school does not have a tennis team.

“We were able to overcome that challenge by finding some former lady Division One players, and then do challenge matches at Brookside Country Club, where she is one of our club junior pros. I believe that having quality opponents helped elevate her game.”

Bleam knows Conner has elevated her overall game in several ways.

“She is a physically strong player, and we work on her being also mentally tough and focused,” said Bleam. She made it to the finals for the third year in a row but fell short. I know she was disappointed with only getting a silver medal. Sometimes in life when you aim for the stars you will fall short, but if you land on the moon that is still a great accomplishment.”

Playing in college would seem like a natural, but Conner is still weighing her options. Extending her career undoubtedly would have to be the right choice.

“My plans for next year are undecided right now,” she said. “I do have a bunch of schools and college coaches that I’ve been talking to for a while now, and the ball is now in my court in a way to make that final decision of where I want to go.

“For the past few years, I haven’t been sure of whether I was going to play tennis in college, but in the time I’ve had to reflect, I see myself picking up that racket and competing yet again next year. I’ve always loved the thrill of competition, and while continuing the student athlete life is stressful, don’t get me wrong, it’s also a dream ... If all the pieces fit together in the way I see it, I’ll be playing college tennis at a school next year while pursuing a business degree.”

Her coach is confident his player will be taking a college path, as Conner has maintained a 4.0 grade point average, and is ranked among the top 10 in her class.

“I know she has drawn interest in colleges including some at the Division 1 level, which says a lot about her great academics as well as her tennis game,” said Bleam. “With the foundation she has developed and having the future support of being on a team with actual teammates, I am sure she will succeed and rise to the occasion wherever she ends up.”

Looking back, Conner relished her entire tennis landscape.

“I’m also really glad for all the times I got to play doubles,” said Conner. “I love doubles, and how it brings a whole new element to the game that just boosts strategic thinking, and brings that upbeat energy when I’m playing with some of my best partners.”

Conner’s high school career has also shaped her outlook.

“In terms of high school, I’d say it’s a success,” said Conner. “I won good matches, I lost good matches, but I never went down without a fight. Every time I lost, I made sure to learn from it. That’s how I would define my career, and the way I hold myself through life.”