A new season of tennis has began, and the girl’s tennis team is off to a strong start. The team already has two victories against Fountain Valley High School and Edison. The close defeat against Sage Hill by a score of 7 to 11 is another win on the Mater Dei girl’s tennis team’s road to glory.

The players truly have a bond that is unrivaled by their competitors. Before the game against Sage Hill, a few of the players along with the head coach commented on their hopes for this season.

Freshman Melanie Villasin plays varsity doubles.”This is all pretty new to me, but I’ve met a lot of people and being on the varsity team is cool,” she said.

Isabella Dropsy, a junior who will be playing singles for the team, believes that the team has a great chance of becoming league champions. The ultimate goal is to qualify for CIF.

“It’s going to be a good year. We are going to be very successful, hopefully. We have a really good coach this year and he’s going to lead us to victory,” Dropsy said.

Newcomer to Mater Dei, tennis coach Mike Moorewood, talked about his ambitions for the team. This is his first year as the tennis coach, and all the girls seem very optimistic about the impact he will have on the tennis program.

Moorewood aims high, but believes realistically that this year is more of “setting up for next year.” However, he is still intent to make the finals of CIF this year. He will have a better idea of how far the team can go once a few players return from injury or absence. The type of culture and belief Moorewood instills in the team stems from preparation. He strongly believes that’s the core to his program.

“I think that preparing the players and practicing the game is where coaches earn their money,” he said. “[It’s] hoping that the players will be consistent in game. That’s the difference between a good team and a great team.”

The girls are extremely enthusiastic, and a sense of team bond can be felt throughout the camp. These key aspects will provide the right basis for a chance at bragging rights come the end of the season. Good luck girls! Go monarchs!