With win over Monterey Trail, DHS women’s varsity tennis remembers rivals

The Davis high school women’s
varsity tennis team lost to the Saint Mary’s team in section finals last year.

“It was pretty disappointing in the end since we have this kind of unofficial rivalry between us and Saint Francis and Saint Mary’s,” said senior Ceci Cajandig, ranked third singles on the Davis high team.

Flash forward to September 19.  The same Davis high women’s varsity tennis team, already with an undefeated preseason record, wins 9-0 in its first league match of the season against Monterey Trail High School.

“It just seemed like they weren’t as experienced as us and just weren’t as aggressive,” Cajandig said.  “Maybe it’s because we’ve been playing longer or something, but they weren’t really aggressive when they played.”

With all of the matches won in straight sets and most of the games ended 40-0, it sure seemed that way.

Like Cajandig, sophomore Kailynn Yang thought that the Monterey Trail team was, compared to the Davis high team, unpracticed.  “It was kind of like a practice exhibition match for us,” she said.

Yang, who won her second-rank singles match 6-0, 6-0, also remembers the past loss against Saint Mary’s last year.  “It was really close last year, and I think it’ll be close this year too, but we’ll be the ones winning this time,” she said.

Sally Hosley, coach of the Davis high women’s varsity tennis team, sees the potential to overcome the rival team in section championships this year.

“We barely lost 5-4 last year against Saint Mary’s, but I’m not worried that we’ll get to meet them again soon,” Hosley said.  “I’ve seen a lot of improvement in these girls and I really hope it’ll pay off when we play them.”

For now, though, the Davis high team continues in the league to play in an away game at Elk Grove High School, rivalry in mind.