Due to the success of the RHS girls’ tennis team last year, expectations for this season are high. However, winning will be difficult with the loss of seven key seniors.

With the loss of star seniors, the team will have to work together to be as good as they were last year. “It’s going to be a tough season this year, but there’s a lot of room for improvement that we can fill,” junior Taylor Reeves said.

The loss of multiple seniors means the lady rams will lose valuable experience. With this experience gone, it gives the underclassmen a chance to improve since their skills are much more needed.

Last year, the team’s record was 8-4 and the current record is 2-2. “The seniors all understood the game very well,” Reeves said. “Their loss really impacts the team. Hopefully we can have as good a record as last year’s.”

All seven seniors last year were starters. This year, those spots are filled with various grade levels. This is forcing more underclassmen to gain the knowledge and skills of the game to perform well on the court.

“The underclassmen have a lot to learn but they are really improving. We are a growing team,” senior Kate Lipman said. Lipman tries to help the underclassmen as much as possible during practice by helping them understand the basics of tennis.

Since there are more positions now available, the underclassmen are playing in the games rather than only upperclassmen playing. This gives the them a better understanding of the game that cannot be taught in practice. With the coach and additional help from seniors, the underclassmen are rapidly improving.

“We are with a young group, so we’re building for the future,” special education teacher and coach Robert Stohlman said.