On March 25, the tennis team won their toughest game of the season 7-2 against Linden High School at Rio Del Oro Sports Club.

“It was better than I could have hoped,” said tennis coach Jamie Nelson.

Sophomore Delsyn Beaton was the “hero” of the game, he said.

Beaton, who won his game 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 after a long-lasting comeback following the first set loss, said the game was far longer and more difficult than his other games in the season so far.

“At first I didn’t know how to deal with the challenges I faced in the game, but after a while I was able to adapt,” Beaton said.

Beaton’s successful boys singles performance was matched across the board, by freshman Henry Wilson (6-0, 6-0) and senior co-captains Sanjana Anand (6-1, 6-1) and Vanessa Escobar (6-2, 6-0).

Escobar said the team had high expectations for Linden to be strong competition, since Country Day hasn’t played Linden in the last couple years.

“Coming in I anticipated a good game, and it’s crazy because we won and are still undefeated this season,” Escobar said. 

Although her serves have typically been good when correctly hit, Escobar hopes to improve her consistency on making the first serve.

Aside from singles, the team’s doubles play also carried Country Day to victory.

In girls doubles, freshmen Ashley Lattyak and Harper Abeyta won 10-6, with juniors Samhita Kumar and Cecilia Wilson winning 10-6 as well.

Abeyta was happy with the skill and communication her and Lattyak showed.

“We still have some improving to do,” Abeyta said. “Individually, volleys and serves need some work because that’s where we lost the most points.”

In No. 2 doubles, Wilson and Kumar put together a victory after multiple inconvenient court switches that dragged the game on.

Toward the end of the match, a member of the sports club who had a reservation made the teams leave the court, Wilson said.

“After we finally got another court, we only had to win one game but lost a couple before getting it,” Wilson said. “It definitely affected our performance.”

In boys doubles, freshman Andrew Burr and Luke Scripps lost 10-2, and seniors Dylan Margolis and Nihal Gulati suffered a 10-6 loss.

Nelson hopes to end the pattern of boys doubles losses in the season so far by experimenting with different combinations of players, he said. 

“This was a strong team and matches ran longer, but everyone knew what was on the line.”

The tennis team will play their next home game against Golden Sierra at Rio Del Oro Sports Club on April 5.

— By Saheb Gulati