In case someone is left wondering after reading this chapter, who are the other three players who also played in last year's final? They should be Teru, Sumire and... Takami? This last one can only be deduced by process of elimination. It can't be another Rinkai because it was said, way back in chapter 56, that Megan is their only returning player. And Kiyosumi and Achiga are of course on their first participation.
Until now, it was not clear if Takami and/or Seiko were part of last year's team. Awai obviously couldn't be because she's a first year. Two of the players chosen by Teru during Shiraitodai's flashback (Unozawa Shiori and Tanahashi Natsuki) were 2nd years, so most likely they were still in the team, but the 5th member was not known. According to this, it must have been Shibuya Takami, while Matano Seiko is a new recruit.
EDIT: Alternatively, Ritz is including Satoha in last year's individual final. But that would mean forcing the meaning of the sentence. To say that there are 4 players playing in the final for second consecutive year and then it turns out one of them was in the individual final, not the team final...? It feels odd...
