MOSCOW, Idaho - Seniors on the University of Idaho Women's Tennis team Marta Magalhaes, Maggie Chen and Laura Spataro wrapped up their senior seasons this past weekend with two wins. The end of their Vandal careers has not come without success over the last four years.

The trio has combined for 70 singles wins during their careers and were part of 35 dual match wins over the last four years. During the 2017-18 season the group helped bring a Big Sky Conference Championship to Idaho, as part of five consecutive conference championships.

Spataro joined the Vandals as a freshman in 2017 from Volpago Del Montello, Italy.
 
Before picking up a tennis racket Spataro was an avid basketball player. "During the games and practices, I felt like I couldn't express myself that much," said Spataro. "My dad, who played tennis, asked if I wanted to give tennis a shot and so I did. That's how I started."
 
Her journey in tennis stared at young age, carrying her all the way from Italy to Moscow, Idaho.
 
"There was another girl that I knew that was playing her [at Idaho] before me and she had really good things to say about the school, the team and the coach," added Spataro. "After talking with the coach and looking at the school I had the same feeling and I decided to commit to it."
 
Spataro finished her career at Idaho with a 33-26 mark in singles play while also posting 29 doubles wins. Spataro is a two-time All-Big Sky Second Team selection, a two-time Big Sky All-Academic selection and a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.
 
"The main thing that stands out to me about Laura is that she is very inspirational and motivational," said Saffron Dowse. "She inspires me constantly, both on and off the court, she motivates me to push harder both in my studies and in my training."
 
Chen joined the Vandals in 2017 from Tainana, Taiwan after playing her freshman season at Southern Mississippi.
 
Chen's love for tennis began at an early age and was passed down from her father.
 
"My dad loves tennis," said Chen. "He said 'Hey do you play and try?' So, I did and that's how I got started."
 
Like Spataro, Chen too knew a fellow countrywoman who was playing for the Vandals at the time she was looking for places to go.
 
"She was about to graduate, and she told me 'Hey this is a great program, and you would like it. The coach is nice and the girls on the team are great,'" said Chen. "So, I thought 'Why not?' and decided to give it a shot."
 
Since coming to Idaho Chen has recorded 14 singles wins and 24 doubles wins. Chen earned Big Sky All-Academic honors in 2018 and is a two-time ITA-Scholar-Athlete.
 
"She always knows what to say to help me figure out my way around things, both on and off the court," added Dowse. "The advice that she gives in invaluable, and I really appreciate that."
 
Magalhaes began her freshman year in 2017, joining the Vandals from Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal.
 
Tennis, much like the other seniors, was a family affair for Magalhaes.
 
"I started playing tennis when I was four," said Magalhaes. "My father and my sister both played tennis. I also played other sports at the time, but tennis became the one I loved the most. I just kept going and never lost the passion for it."
 
Magalhaes continued to excel through her passion for tennis, eventually coming to the United States to play college tennis.
 
"I chose Idaho mainly because there was a Portuguese girl on the team," said Magalhaes. "That was a big deciding factor for me. Knowing that I had someone from the same country here that would be able to help me with everything made me a little bit more relaxed. I knew it was a great tennis program and a great school as well."
 
Magalhaes has recorded 23 singles wins and 19 doubles wins during her time at Idaho. She was a All-Big Sky second team selection in 2019. In the classroom, she is a two-time All-Big Sky Academic selection as well as a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.

"We have quite a strong relationship together," said Dowse. "I really consider her a close friend and I just feel like she brings a lot of positivity and happiness. She's quite a bubbly person so I think that she really brings the team together in a way."
 
All three of these seniors are shining examples of what it means to be a Vandal. For more on Idaho Athletics, and how you can help student-athletes like these, head over to GoVandals.com/VSF.