Girls tennis (2-0) won 17-1 against Irvine High on Sept. 11, nearly scoring a clean sweep. The Bulldogs’ next match will be an away game against Rosary Academy on Sept. 16. 

After dominating the first singles round 6-1, the Bulldogs secured a strong opener. Despite playing against some of the Vaqueros’ strongest players in the first round, the Bulldogs scored a surprise 6-0 doubles win after focusing on volleying and staying close to the net during practice, according to doubles player and sophomore Alycia Lee. 

“We’re constantly working on our net game,” Lee said. “A lot of girls don’t like to volley or stay at the net because they get scared that they’re gonna get hit. But what’s different about our team is that not only can we stay at the net, but we can be really aggressive, which gives us a huge advantage against other schools.” 

In addition to refining their net game, the Bulldogs also emphasized teamwork and cooperation during their matches, according to co-captain, singles player and senior Leanna Roman.

“Communication is so important in doubles —  we’re making sure we’re communicating when to switch sides, when to call mine and yours,” Roman said. “And for point play, where you want me to serve, where you want me to return. It’s really about getting comfortable at practice and then incorporating it into the matches.”

During the game, the Bulldogs focused on keeping their energy high throughout the match instead of centering their efforts on particularly strong plays, according to singles player and freshman Evelyn Wang. The Bulldogs scored their first and only loss during the second round of doubles, losing 2-6 to the Vaqueros. However, a strong finish, sweeping all six sets in the third round, secured a Bulldog victory. 

“A good strategy I have that works almost all the time is just staying consistent,” Wang said. “Because at this level, [it is easy for] a lot of other girls to make mistakes, so you don’t have to go all out. You just have to hit the ball in and stay consistent, and then they’ll probably miss.”

The Bulldogs hope to win more matches in the future, applying their hard work at practice and experience on building teamwork, according to Roman.

“We’re all trying to be the best high school in California, so we’re trying to work up to that,” Roman said. “Everyone’s cheering on the freshmen, and they see us upperclassmen cheering them on court to court. Our freshmen are really catching on, and we’re all clicking very well. It’s really, really nice to see.”