Girls’ tennis, 3-1, awaits their exciting match-up against LACES at home today. 

Entering the match, the Gondoliers defeated University High and Fairfax last week, with both games finishing at 7-0 respectively.

“Winning these away matches gives us more confidence to play the rest of the matches like this,” said senior Joanna Huang, a co-captain with junior Kali Lepeyre.

LACES, who are 2-1, may pose a threat to the Gondoliers. Coach Andrew Horen said that the team needs to keep the “four-ball mantra” in mind. 

To mitigate their effects, “Get the first four balls in play, and don’t beat yourself with unforced errors,” he said. 

Although much of the team is composed of freshmen and sophomores, they’ve been “bonding really well,” said Huang.

However—despite the team’s recent accomplishments—”a sense of leadership is required” said Huang, “to create a more lively atmosphere.”

Similarly, for the doubles players, the Gondoliers need to “make sure that we’re getting a high percentage of first serves and not double-faulting, because once our girls get to the point, we do pretty well,” Horen said.

The team has implemented this strategy in all four previous matches this season, and hope it will prove effective in their bout against LACES on Tuesday. 

According to Huang, the team “didn’t hold back” against University and Fairfax, as evident by the 7-0 score lines. 

Sophomore Ella Wind was an example of this mentality, as “her consistency and endurance throughout the game was really inspiring,” Huang said.

By understanding that growth is a process, the team aims to “stay patient and practice more in their coming matches,” Huang said. And whatever the result, the girls will find a way to grow from it.