On April 18, the UHS Boys’ Tennis team defeated the Northwood Timberwolves 15-3 in a blowout, winning 8-1 in singles and 7-2 in doubles. The Trojans remain undefeated in league as they prepare for a CIF championship run.
In preparation for the game, the Trojans focused on mental endurance. Long practices and hitting sessions helped give the Trojans the needed focus and perseverance to defeat the Timberwolves and edge them out in high-pressure situations, which occurred often in this match.
“Our team always puts in the work at practice, and it shows in matches,” sophomore Arjun Appa said. “It helps us win in pressure moments, even if we are facing some adversity.”
Appa won two out of his three sets with 6-4 and 6-2 scores, and lost only in a tiebreaker against Northwood’s line one. Fellow sophomores Reid Hashimoto and Jihyuk Im handily swept all six of their sets against the Wolves, with Im winning 6-4, 6-3 and 6-0 and Hashimoto finishing 7-5, 6-4 and 6-1.
“Each match was intense with tough points and rallies,” Hashimoto said. “What helped me win those matches was not losing my focus. I kept my energy high and stayed patient through all of my matches.”
The doubles teams went 7-2 overall, matching the success of the singles players. While the final score may not show it, the match was a hard-fought battle, with each player playing their hardest for every point.
“Doubles isn’t about playing for yourself,” sophomore Tyler Chandler said. “It’s about playing with your teammates and growing stronger bonds.”
With another win, the Trojans look to prove themselves as the favorites for winning the CIF championship and contenders at the All-American Tournament. Although the team has remained undefeated, Im believes there is still more room to improve and work to be done to succeed at CIF playoffs.
“I’ve been very proud of how the team has been playing so far,” Im said. “But we still have a lot of work left; we have CIF coming up in May and hope students show their support.”
The Trojans have their next match at home on May 9 against Palos Verdes.
