NEXT LEVEL

Even before she smacked her first college tennis ball, Ariel Ohno had to deal with a curveball.

But this one had nothing to do with settling into another sport.

It was about settling into another school.

Ohno, a 2007 Kentridge High graduate who went to the Class 4A singles semifinals as a sophomore in her only year of high school tennis, had planned to attend the University of Portland. But when that didn’t work out, she walked onto a talent-laden team at the University of Washington. And while a nagging back injury has kept her out of action this spring, Ohno did get some court time last fall, picking up her first career singles victory in the ITA regionals.

“It’s a tough team, but at the same time, it’s real good competition,” the 18-year-old Ohno said. “So it’s a real good chance to improve and play a lot better.”

A chance is all Ohno was looking for when she approached head coach Julie Hultquist last summer.

“When she called me and told me she was interested, I went to watch her at the Washington State Open,” Hultquist said. “I liked her hands and her athletic ability.”

“The one thing I always talk to her about is the mental aspect of the game,” Hultquist added. “The mental aspect is pretty tough. We have a lot of great players out there.”

Lack of match play notwithstanding, Ohno, who, according to Hultquist, might have her best shot at eventually breaking into the doubles lineup, indicated she already is seeing a better game for herself on the Husky courts.

“I would say that I’m a lot stronger mentally, and a little bit more focused,” Ohno said. “I’m able to construct points more than when I was in high school. And I’m a lot more consistent. Consistency is one of my bigger (improvements).”

From the get-go, she knew that had to be the case in order to make it at this level.

“A lot of players can hit just as yard and play just as well as you can,” Ohno said. “But they can get a few more balls in.”

As expected, Ohno made an impact during her sole season as a Charger. She won the South Puget Sound League North Division title, then advanced to state, where two victories on the first day put her into the semifinals, where she fell to Stephanie Davison of South Kitsap, 6-0, 6-0.

But that was it. After that, Ohno decided it was better for her to focus her game outside the high school scene.

“I didn’t miss it at all,” she said. “I experienced it one year, went to the semifinals, but felt like it didn’t work out.”

After doing what she considered to be “pretty well” last fall, Ohno was hoping for at least some occasional action this spring.

Her back had other ideas.

“It was just kind of a day-in, day-out grind,” Ohno said. “I took a little bit of rest and did a lot of exercising. For me, it was difficult to run. So I had to sit out a little bit.”

Ohno is considering just making this a redshirt year, since she hasn’t played this spring. But whenever she does get back into action, she’ll definitely know what to expect, whether from her teammates during practice, or from an opponent on the other side of the net.

“Somethings you can get away with in high school, you can’t here. Intensity is a lot higher,” Ohno said. “Sometimes, you think you can put away a shot (and it comes back).

“Players are a lot smarter,” she added. “They won’t break down as easily. They have an ‘A’ game, and if that doesn’t work, they can always rely on a ‘B’ game or a ‘C’ game.”

It’s sort of like handling tennis’ version of a curveball.

Which, in her own way, Ariel Ohno has dealt with already.