The boys’ and girls’ tennis teams started their seasons strong, with boys’ sweeping Northwest 7-0 and girls’ defeating them 6-1 on Mar. 21.
Senior Captain Justin Huang felt confident coming off of the season opener. The team had “the usual first match anxiety, but the team handled it,” Huang said.
Senior Captain Elena Kim was proud of how the team’s preseason went. “[Our] preseason has been very promising. We’ve been doing plenty of matches and mixing players to see who plays well with who,” Kim said.
Senior Captain Will Balian also reflected on the win against Northwest. “I felt great as we beat our opponents soundly,” Balian said.
Both teams took on Sherwood on Mar. 25, with both boys’ and girls’ winning 7-0. “The boys played well through the tough conditions. The wind was horrible, but we got the job done regardless,” Huang said.
The team is able to maintain its high standard for success due to its work ethic when they are outside the spotlight. “The team’s strengths have been training hard every practice and practice match/set that we have,” Huang said.
Despite their work ethic, the team still finds weaknesses in their game. The team struggles with “trying to hit the ball too hard and staying confident during matches,” Balian said.
On the girls’ side, their strength comes down to their roster. “We have so many consistent and strong players,” Kim said.
However, the team still has its weaknesses. “The team is on the younger side with slightly less experience,” Kim said.
Huang hopes to take advantage of his veteran status on the team to have a positive impact on his teammates. “I plan to contribute to this team’s success by acting as a role model for the new guys since they are getting used to being in a team environment,” Huang said.
Balian is more focused on his gameplay when it comes to contributing to the team’s success. He plans to contribute “by staying calm during matches and doing [his] part to win to the best of my ability,” Balian said.
Similar to Huang, Kim is focused on lifting up her teammates in the hopes of boosting her team’s success. “I will be working with Coach Duong to encourage all the girls on our team to be on the top of their game, especially with drills and conditioning. I also want to help them develop a good mental attitude,” Kim said.
The boys’ team has been focusing on growing from all opportunities available to them. “My coach has been emphasizing to use each match as a learning tool, regardless of the competition because there’s always something to improve in your game,” Huang said.
On the girls’ team, they have spent their time focusing on becoming better athletes. They have done “lots of fitness and running so that the team can get in good shape. [Their coach] also wants to emphasize team building,” Kim said.
Balian has set his goal for the season high, reflecting his confidence in the team. “My goal is to go undefeated this season and win the best I can,” Balian said.
Kim’s goal for the season is similar to Balian’s. Her goal is to “try to win as many games as possible, especially against Whitman, Walter Johnson and Churchill,” Kim said.
The boys will play next on Apr. 3 at BCC, while the girls will take the Barons on at home.
