By Carolanne Boughton, Staff writer
Fresno got served by some lion pride! With style equivalent to the US Open, the Lady Lions tennis team started the school year with a smacking backhand in the 2014 California Tennis Classic in Fresno. “The Lady Lions had a great time and played pretty good tennis,” said the team’s lead coach, Willard Hom. The Lions played against three schools on Friday and two on Saturday.
The freshman players really stepped up their game in the tournament. “The freshmen players are really good this year!” exclaimed team captain Taylor Chan (‘15), “We knew that they were going to be great and they didn’t disappoint!” With the support of all the players “Fresno was awesome as usual,” Taylor said.
A member of the team since her freshman year, Taylor has served as a great role model for underclassmen and aspiring players. She loves that the “team is like a family…The bond that the team has is unlike any other and I am very, very sad that this is my last year.”
The CKM A Team, or the top twelve players on the team, went 2-1 on Friday, which Coach Hom proudly stated is “one level above our 2013 level of play.” The CKM B Team went 3-0 on Friday, crushing their competition, and on Saturday played some tougher matches, finishing 1-1 in their division.
Fresno definitely isn’t known for the competitive-sports scene. Although it may not be the most happening sports town, “The tournament met our request to play schools that we would not ordinarily play during the season, and the challenging level of players in general made the event extra-enjoyable,” Coach Hom said. Many team parents endured the 100-degree weather to support their daughters in their first tournament of the season. Coach Hom explained that the parents added a “strong and positive presence at the event.”
The whole team hopes that their strong season continues. The team captain said, “We have a pretty strong team this year…I’d like to see us make it as far as possible in sectionals.” Spirits are high for the team and with the support of the awesome coaches and parents of the players, this season is bound to be great!