After four years and a couple of close calls, Anik Cepeda finally qualified for the state tennis tournament and earned her moment in the spotlight. So why is Cepeda dead-set on dragging her A&M Consolidated teammates with her onto the big stage?

"I love this team," Cepeda said. "I thought that this team especially deserved to have someone get to state. I'm happy that I can be there representing the school and especially representing all the kids on the team. They are the ones that have always been there for me. I think it's fitting that this year I made it."

Cepeda won the Class 5A Region II tournament two weeks ago to become the first Consol girl to reach the UIL state tennis tournament in singles since Natalie Briaud in 1998. Cepeda will play in the 5A quarterfinal round against freshman Auri Tran of Plano at 9 a.m. Monday at the Penick-Allison Courts in Austin.

Although she has played in junior tournaments all around the country, Cepeda will take extra joy in the trip to Austin because she will have teammate Nellie Hilner along as a hitting partner and she expects several members of the Consol tennis team to be there to support her.

"These guys truly want me to do well," Cepeda said. "They stay after practice to hit with me. Even when my chances are a million to zilch to win a match, they tell me that I've got it, that it's my match. As much as there was inner satisfaction to make it to state, I felt it was a team goal. They helped me get there."

Cepeda twice came within one victory of reaching the state tournament. She lost a play-back match for the second state berth at the regional as a freshman playing mixed doubles with brother Agustin. Last year, she lost a play-back in girls singles.

"I felt like nobody deserved it more, with what she had gone through in the previous years," Consol coach Stephen Mercer said. "Anik was on a mission. She was so focused on that goal of achieving state that nothing was going to get in her way."

Cepeda's path to state became less difficult when one of the top girls in Region II did not play this spring and another switched to doubles. She also felt much less of a burden than during previous regionals because she had already signed to play tennis at William & Mary College in Virginia.

"I would have been disappointed if I didn't make state, but my perspective was different this year because I already knew what college I was going to," Cepeda said. "All the other years, it felt more like I was trying to prove myself. This year, I didn't worry about it and let myself enjoy it. It's funny how it happened."

There was not much suspense in Cepeda's 6-1, 6-1 victory over Abby Hayley of The Woodlands in the regional final, but there was plenty of joy after it ended.

"It was exhilarating," Cepeda said. "It's difficult to explain. As soon as I won, the next thing I knew the whole team was on the court and everything was going in really fast motion. It's probably my best moment of high school tennis. I felt like I had just won state for my whole team."

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NOTES -- Mercer said Cepeda is the highest-ranked player in the 5A girls singles field. Semifinal matches will be played at 1:30 p.m. Monday, with the state final set for 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the second round Cepeda could face Audrey Woodland of Fort Bend Dulles, who beat Cepeda at a junior tournament in January. ... The other state qualifiers from the Brazos Valley will play at Lakeway World of Tennis. The area entries include three mixed doubles teams and a singles player in 2A. Defending state champions Kendra Casey and Jake Russ of Franklin lead the mixed doubles field, while in the other half of the bracket Ben Spencer and Ally Abshire of Lexington could meet Kelsey Lagrone and Michael Gwosdz from Centerville in the semifinal round. Kayla Casey will represent Franklin in girls singles. ... Brittni Fausett of Cameron will play 3A girls singles in search of her third state title. Fausett won the 2A championship as a freshman and sophomore at Winona.

UIL STATE TENNIS

* When: Monday and Tuesday

* Where: Class 5A-4A at Penick-Allison Courts in Austin; 3A-2A-A at Lakeway World of Tennis in Austin

* Area qualifers: Anik Cepeda in 5A girls singles; Brittni Fausett in 3A girls singles; Kayla Casey in 2A girls singles; Centerville, Franklin and Lexington in 2A mixed doubles

* Returning champions: Franklin's Kendra Casey and Jake Russ in mixed doubles