“We are like the Average Joe’s from the movie Dodgeball. We’re playing Cate in a couple of matches this week, and I hear they’re the Globo Gym of the league,” said Girl’s Tennis Coach Jonny Sapp at a Round Table meeting.
With a 3-4 record, the team was ready to take on the challenge and usher in a new tennis era.
The girls varsity tennis team overcame their number one obstacle, clinching a 10-8 win. The game was on their home turf, and the girls feeling the pressure, as well as the thick heat.
During the lineup, nerves were like static in the air.
It was finally the last match of the last round. Laguna was winning 9-8. But if Cate pulled out and won their doubles, Laguna would lose in games.
Senior Lauren Conk and freshman Juliana Ozur, however, played like heroes.
Each girl on each team stood shivering in the crisp night air clutching onto the hope that her doubles team would win.
Despite being down 1-4 with all eyes on them, Conk and Ozur got their heads in the game and ground out to tie the score 6-6.
Coach Sapp sat on the sidelines nervously ticking his feet. The Laguna girls sat on the sidelines yelling out any helpful string of support they could. The doubles team won the tie break 10-8.
The doubles team kept their calm, while showing the Cate team no mercy.
For the first time in 30 years, the Laguna Blanca tennis team beat Cate’s. They took out the Globo Gym.
“It was amazing! I had no idea that 30 years ago was the last time we beat them! It was a great that this win was during my last year on the team,” said senior Allie Lafitte.
Later that week, the team went on to then beat the Dunn varsity tennis team and onto play Cate again. The game was close. The end score was 9-9. When the coaches went to count games, apprehension was tight and players were nervous, but hope was not lost. Laguna won the match 65-64 again proving that they could.