It’s typical for people, teams and organizations to go through fluctuating periods of ups and downs. Two weeks ago, the girls tennis team (6-3-0, 1-1-0) felt like they were atop the world.
At the Palo Alto High School Invitational Tournament two weeks ago, the team took the victory, winning the tournament. Fremont High School, Notre Dame High School, Aragon High School and Stevenson High School all competed at the invitational.
However, with joyful moments of success, also come moments of struggle. Paly has not had equivalent success in regular competition.
The team has gone 2-1 in its first three matches in the De Anza League, as the Vikings narrowly defeated Homestead High School by a score of 4-3 and Lynbrook High School by a score of 5-2 but fell hard against Cupertino High School by a score of 6-1.
In the match against Cupertino, junior Isa Cossio was disqualified from competition due to a uniform issue, adding to the team’s struggles in the competition.
Paly has faced struggles in non-league competition, as well. The team narrowly lost to both Sacred Heart Preparatory (4-3) and Gunn High School (4-3).
According to senior captain Emma Cockerell, the Vikings’ setbacks haven’t hurt team morale.
“I don’t think we’ve really let our past performances influence how we think we’ll do in the rest of the season. We’re just trying to do our best, and we know the other teams in the league are really strong. We don’t really have high or low expectations, we’re just doing our best.”
Emma Cockerell
Despite the ups and downs that the team has faced this season, they are still optimistic that they will be able to achieve their main goal for the season, which, according to senior co-captain Mailinh Truong, is to stay in the De Anza League.
According to Truong, Paly is fighting with the Homestead Mustangs in order to stay in the De Anza League next year.
Truong said the team has what it takes to pull off one more victory against the Mustangs and perform well enough in the other league competition to play in De Anza next year.
Truong said the Vikings should have more success in the future once they properly set up their doubles teams.
“We’re still trying to find the right match for all of our doubles players,” Truong said.
Once a few factors fall into place, Truong is hopeful the team will be in a position to compete at the highest level.
The team still has some essential matches ahead of them, so the hardships they have faced have not smothered their chances at being able to continue to compete how they’ve recently been able to.
The Vikings get a chance for some League competition, as they get the chance to go square off against the Los Gatos High School team on Oct. 3, the Homestead High School team on Oct. 5) the Cupertino High School team on Oct. 10 and the Lynbrook High School team on Oct. 17.
