The Girls Varsity Tennis team ended their preseason with a 7-1 record. The Lady Rams started their campaign with a six game winning streak, and many of the games ended in one sided scores such as their 17-1 win against the Schurr Spartans on Sept. 13 . Even with a strong start, the team remains cautious for the upcoming season.
“The teams that we play in preseason are usually not at the caliber of the teams we have to play in league,” Tennis Coach Nate Slaymaker said. “Rio Hondo League is probably one of the most difficult leagues in Southern California, so everybody has to play to the best of their ability and work hard to improve.”
Their sole loss in the preseason came against the Alhambra Moors on Sept. 14. It was a close game, but a loss in a doubles match gave the Moors the advantage and a highly contested 10-8 win. However, the Rams were able to quickly bounce back after the loss and won their last preseason game against the Rosemead Panthers on Sept. 16.
In the singles sets, the Lady Rams focused on offense and speed, capitalizing on the Panther’s weaknesses. In the doubles sets, the team used their teamwork to overcome their opponents. The final score of the game was 18-0.
The strong start to the year can give the players newfound confidence heading into the new league season.
“Positivity and being motivated are a major factor. No matter how tough your opponent is during matches, we should never give up,” Sophomore Kayla Truong said. “We are gradually losing our nervousness and becoming confident on the courts, playing out our strategies.”
The Lady Rams started their league season with a win in an away game against the La Cañada Spartans on Sept. 22. It was a closely contested game but a strong showing in the single sets led to a 13-5 win. They hope to start their regular season in similar fashion to their preseason form.
The Lady Rams hope to make the CIF playoffs after finishing their 2015 season with a 7-8 overall record, including a 2-6 result in league play.
“I remember how in previous years we felt like we really didn’t have that high of a chance to go to CIF,” Captain Senior Allison Young said. “Hopefully with a stronger communication we’ll all work better together to reach CIF together.”
The Ram’s next games are against the San Marino Titans and the South Pasadena Tigers.
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