After starting the season  with a loss against both the Damascus Hornets and the Clarksburg Coyotes, the Watkins Mill’s girl tennis team started to bring their all to the table.

So far, the Lady ‘Rines have played against five different schools, with another match against the Knights today. They started the season with off with a 2-5 loss against Damascus and a tough 1-6 loss to Clarksburg. They managed to turn the sides on Seneca Valley, winning with a close 4-3 game, but the celebration was short-lived when they took a devastating 1-6 loss against Gaithersburg.

Junior Shareyne Repaje added, “We were pretty relaxed against Seneca Valley and tried not to play aggressive but tactical.” She feels that they can win against Wheaton by using this technique.

Senior Jamila Panes said, “I think we played really well and that [Seneca Valley] was our best game.”[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”24″]”I think we played really well and that [Seneca Valley] was our best game.”[/perfectpullquote]

Junior Joanne Henriquez added, “We put the time and effort [in] so all we can do is our best.” Winning or losing doesn’t matter to them, just doing their best each and every game is more than good enough. 

Before the opening game against Clarksburg, junior captain Nancy Gela said, “I feel like we will do okay, but there is a lot of pressure to win because they are a small team.”

Gela feels that she could, “improve my serves, placement, and running for the ball.” She added that the most important things for the team as a whole to work on are “placement and knowing your opponent’s weakness’.”  

Against Damascus, Panes said she “felt that I could have done better,” and that she was “nervous because it was the first game of the season.”

Henriquez added that even though they lost, they aren’t being bitter about it. “Instead of being pessimistic we’re leaning more towards optimistic,” she said.

“As long as we try our best and not feel nervous about it, we will be fine,” Panes added.