Girls tennis defeats rival Beverly Hills

It was a difficult start to the season for the girls tennis team, but despite the odds, they have remained resilient. The girls have persevered and came back strong with the victories they needed. In their last match against Beverly on Oct. 13, Samo won their match with Beverly Hills High, with a final score of 12-6. Their Ocean League record stands at 3-0.“The team did improve from the previous losses because we had a negative attitude during those matches, but we supported each other the whole entire time which helped us to win,” Senay Ozkan (’17) said. “As a doubles player I felt the positive energy my doubles partner and I had, and it boosted our confidence which led us to make better shots and win our match.”According to Ozkan, the attitude the team has when they go into a game is crucial, because it affects the way teamwork and support forms between the girls. Ozkan stated that the heightened positive energy is ultimately helping Samo win their matches, giving the girls confidence during the game.“There was actually no tension because [Beverly Hills] had a new coach and we came out swinging and put ourselves in a confident position,” Coach Wilston Poon said. “We are definitely playing better tennis and I hope we are a more confident team going forward.”The girls were unaffected by the Samo-Beverly rivalry, and according to Poon. The girls put themselves in a confident position during the game, and Poon wants to work on more confidence for the team in the future.“We have been working together as a team and I think that is what really makes a difference,” Vivian Cheng (’19) said. “We all really know each other well and we are all great friends. Individually, I just worked on being more focused and having better footwork.”Relationships with fellow teammates strengthens the bond between the girls so they can go into games with a positive attitude, and come out with a victory. Cheng states that her relationship with her teammates is strong and it helps them work as a team instead of separate players. Individually, Cheng worked on her footwork since the last losses which aided her in the match against Beverly. Even though teamwork is crucial, the girls do individually work on their skills to hone them for upcoming matches.The team is now looking forward to their next match at home on Oct. 20 against Culver City High School.