The varsity tennis team battled against the Westlake Chaps in a close match on Thursday, Sept. 1, bringing home a final score of 8-10. This match was a special one, with the Warriors going up against one of their biggest rivals.

Several of the athletes had advertised the game on social media the night before, encouraging others to attend. Friends and family of the athletes gathered to support the Warriors, ranked sixth in the state. The crowd was full of energy, with chants filling the air and echoing across the courts.

“[The athletes] work really hard everyday, I see it for myself,” Akshay Aggarwal ‘17 said. “A lot of my friends are in sports and it’s just really important to recognize their hard work. It’s a lot of fun coming out here and showing school spirit.”

One particularly strong match was girls’ doubles, with Shefali Arimilli ‘17 and Flora He ‘19 fighting hard to defeat the Chaps duo 2-0. While the two were victorious in this match, both have come back knowing what to improve on for next time.

“Overall, I think we did alright but we could’ve done better,” He said. “I think I could’ve went for the volleys more at the net, and been more aggressive.”

After doubles, the team was down 3-4. The Warriors fought hard but lost some close matches in superbreakers, leading to a final score of 8-10.

“The kids battled like warriors and we just came up a little short,” Coach Travis Dalrymple said. “I am very proud of my kids and know that we are a great team with great things ahead of us. We just need to keep working hard and give it all we got.”

The varsity team will have their next match against Lake Travis on Wednesday, Sept. 7.