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“Winning is a byproduct of working hard and doing things right,” varsity girls’ tennis coach Jimmy Rosenheim said.
As a sports team season begins, the players and coach regroup. For the tennis team, the return of some of the best singles players such as juniors Nina Liu and Karen Etin and seniors Sally Ness and Amanda Lum will improve the team’s chance of winning the All-City, according to coach Rosenheim.
On Sept. 11, the Cardinals lost 3-4 to Saint Ignatius, one of the top tennis teams in the Bay Area. With top singles player Liu sidelined due to an injury during a previous match, the team faced with one of the hardest games of the preseason. However, the team played strongly, with their top three singles players winning all their sets.
On Sept. 3, under the blazing sun, the Cardinals came out on top 4-3 against Aragon High School. Though Ness was not present at the game, Etin, Liu and Lum won all their singles sets, while the dynamic duo of senior Dominique Dillard and junior Rahwa Gebreslasse clinched the overall win.
On Sept. 1 against Tamalpais High, the girls lost by a disappointing score of 5-4. This year, the opposing team had gained stronger players and was more prepared than in the previous year when the Cardinals crushed the Red Tailed Hawks, according to Lum.
However, to the varsity girls’ tennis team, a few losses does not halt the girls from reaching for their goal. “The most exciting part about coaching is watching the players’ confidence grow as they mature,” Rosenheim said. “One of the bonuses about working as intensely as we do is the bond created amongst the players.”
Last season, the team hit its peak when they dominated their opponents and won the championship in the lower half of Division I at the Peach Tree tournament in Fresno.
Despite what the team has overcome, such as having last year’s strong seniors move on, the team has the strength to pull everything back together. “I am excited for the season, we have new players and great potential,” said Liu. “It will be a great season.”
Cheer on the spirited Cardinals as they face the net at 3:30 p.m. today at home against Mercy High’s Skippers.
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