Girls Tennis (2-2-1) won 11-7 at the first Pacific Coast League (PCL) Game of the Week match on Sept. 9 against Northwood. 10 of the 24 athletes on the roster contributed to the 11 sets won for the team. 

Though the transition to post-pandemic athletic regulations can be difficult for many athletes, the Girls Tennis team has been working hard to get back into their playing routine. According to senior co-captain Jane Lee, the team had the experience they needed to overcome any first match nerves.

“It was our first league match, so I was a little bit more nervous,” Lee said. “But overall, the transition wasn’t quite as bad for me, since we had season last spring, and we actually played all of these [PCL] teams twice. I think we all had a good idea of what we needed to do.”

While the team’s victory against Northwood was a testament to their hard work throughout pre-season, it did not come without obstacles. Throughout the match, players had to overcome many physical and mental challenges.

“In my first match, we were down,” sophomore and number two doubles player Gilii DeVilliers said. “We lost, actually. It was a little tough for me and my partner, but I didn’t let it get to me, and I just focused on every single point, one by one. We treated it like a new game, and I think that allowed us to play better.”

Sophomore and number one doubles player Anna Gubin also expressed a similar mental struggle during the game. It was with the help of her teammate and doubles partner, senior co-captain Megan Bee, that the duo was able to persist.

“[Megan] is really the best at keeping me stable. She’s the best at keeping me really positive,” Gubin said. “I definitely dealt with a mental struggle today when it came to some personal stuff that was affecting my game, so I was really just trying to focus on myself and be confident in my playing. My partner really helped with that.”

Referencing the team’s hard work at practice, head tennis coach Mr. John Kessler commended his players for their perseverance throughout the match and their commitment to the sport.

“I was proud of [senior Nour Khayat] who—that’s her first loss of the year, and for Nour to come back and then go beat a girl 6-0 is great,” Mr. Kessler said. “I was also proud of [junior Coco Xu], who went in on the first court and won her first doubles. I think she played really well.”

Despite minor setbacks in each round, the team was able to pull through with a solid performance. Mr. Kessler expressed that with a few minor adjustments, the team expects to have a strong season.

“It was a nice opening to our league competition this year,” Mr. Kessler said. “We definitely have to work on our serves [and] our net game. That’s a big thing, especially in doubles. I think we’re capable of a lot more, so we’ll see next week.”

The next match will be away at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 against Woodbridge.