Men’s tennis defeats Whitney 8-1
Article by Jackson Thomas
The Davis High men’s varsity tennis team defeated Whitney 8-1 following a stretch of challenging matches against Granite Bay and Jesuit. Despite a packed schedule, the Blue Devils stayed composed and delivered a strong overall performance.
Head coach Dale Hersch said the team showed consistency and focus throughout the match.
“It was just really solid tennis,” Hersch said. “We’ve had a lot of matches recently, and I’m proud that everybody understood what was ahead of them and played all the way through.”
Davis controlled the match from the start, winning the majority of courts with disciplined and confident play. Sophomore George Vougioukas said he approached his match with confidence based on prior experience against his opponent.
“I knew I had beaten him before, so I just stayed focused and made sure not to give up too many games,” Vougioukas said.
During the match, Vougioukas adjusted by attacking his opponent’s weaker second serve, stepping in to finish points early.
“I moved in and took advantage of that to get some free points,” Vougioukas said.
While the team performed well, Hersch emphasized areas that still need improvement, especially in doubles play and late-match situations.
“We want to keep improving our doubles,” Hersch said. “It’s about communication and working together. And we’ve struggled in tiebreakers, so that’s something we need to fix.”
Vougioukas also pointed out a personal area of focus moving forward.
“I need to work on my volleys,” Vougioukas said. “Sometimes I get a little hesitant at the net and don’t finish points.”
Even with a younger roster made up largely of freshmen and sophomores, Hersch said the team has built a strong identity early in the season.
“They’re very cohesive,” Hersch said. “They get along, they want to improve, and they’re really bonding as a team.”
Looking ahead, Davis hopes to carry that chemistry into the postseason and make a deep run.
“We’re hoping to get a high seed and make it to finals,” Vougioukas said. “We just have to stay strong and finish the season.”
