After weathering the graduation of star player Eric Chiang and a coaching transition from Arne Lim to Jake Halas, the Palo Alto badminton team is in turmoil right now.

Coming off consecutive losses, including a humiliating defeat at the hands of Monta Vista High School, the Vikings look to retool and recover in order to make a mid-season push back into a competitive standpoint.

Their attempt at redemption came last Thursday, when the Vikings took on Saratoga High. In an improvement from their first defeat, the Vikings only lost 17-13 this time around.

Previously, Paly badminton had fallen to Monta Vista by an embarrassing score of 22-3, wherein the team was forced to forfeit the majority of their matches.

The Vikings may be on the downturn with their winless record, but the team seeks to at least build a positive foundation for underclassmen.

“Our team has lots of young players and they are the future of the program here after my class graduates,” Chau said. “Although we may be struggling right now, the next several years for Paly badminton will shine brightly, as these underclassmen all have the potential to be top-class players.”

In the midst of this losing streak, Chau understands the importance of keeping one’s head up even in the face of extended adversity.

“It’s a difficult season so far, but if we train hard I think that we have a shot to be a real good team next year,” Chau said.