The Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs Women’s tennis team won its season opener over San Francisco City College on Tuesday by a score of 7-2. The Bear Cubs only had five players, which caused them to forfeit two matches, their only losses.
Head coach Connor Van Alstyne said the team performed exceptionally well in their first match of the season. “Everything was great today—the enthusiasm, grit and the discipline,” Van Alstyne said. “Most importantly, everyone is out there smiling and having fun.”
Both of SRJC’s doubles teams coasted to 8-3 victories. The No. 1 team, made up of second-year students Elissa Papale and Mary McCallister, dominated thanks to excellent serves and communication throughout their match. The No. 2 team, with second-year Julia O’Keefe and first-year Sandy Yang, outplayed their opponents in all facets of the game.
The singles matches were more of the same story: all five Bear Cubs won their matches. Yang, 18, said the match was a start to her personal goal this year. “I want to win all my matches,” she said. She won the match with ease, 6-2 and 6-0.
Papale, 19, said she believes that working hard in practice will translate to success on the court. “We know what we want to do in our matches, so we just practice as hard as we want to play,” she said.
The Bear Cubs play their next match against against Foothill College at 1 p.m. on Feb. 6 on SRJC’s Izzy Derkos tennis courts. Coach Van Alstyne is looking forward to the upcoming match. “We have to just keep practicing hard and stay positive,” he said.
