Danielle Jennings is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Moon Valley High School for AZPreps365.com

The racket, the ball and the court.

A new tennis season is in full swing as the temperature starts rising again. Moon Valley High School’s girls tennis team kicked off its season, playing against Coconino High School in Phoenix on Feb. 26.

Moon Valley played Coconino for the first time last season, where Moon Valley won 7-2. Alas, this time, Coconino won, 8-1.

Going into the matches, Moon Valley stayed positive, and left it all on the court.

“It’s not about winning or losing,” said Moon Valley girls tennis coach Sara Hopeman. “We’re going out there having fun, learning and improving. Getting better and knowing what we need to work on for the next game.”

The first three matches played were doubles teams. Both Moon Valley and Coconino went back and forth like a game of tug-of-war, trying to be the team to pull the other over the line and win.

The No. 1 Moon Valley doubles team of Serenity Parker and Arleth Mena Ramirez won the rope pull, defeating No. 1 Coconino doubles Josie Kennan and Alora Richardson, 9-7, in Moon Valley’s only win of the day. Coconino pulled the No. 2 Moon Valley doubles team, Teresa Kennan and Hailey Andrade, and No. 3 Moon Valley doubles team, Nicole White and Bianna Lewis, forward, winning the rope pull 8-4 and 8-6, respectively.

Though all six Moon Valley singles varsity players pulled hard on the rope, the team was pulled forward and lost this figurative tug-of-war. Coconino’s No. 6 singles player Eva Peterson beat White 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Josie Kennan beat Lewis 6-4, 6-4; No. 4 Mei Cobb bested Kennan 6-4, 6-0; and No. 3 Kailyn Anderson beat Andrade 6-6, 7-4, 6-3.

Rockets’ sophomore White said she was “nervous,” as it was her first time being on varsity. But she said she “had a lot of fun.” In just one season’s growth, White said her hits “have gotten stronger” and her skills are progressing.

Moon Valley’s No. 2 singles player, Arleth Mena Ramierz, won her first set, but opponent Aisha Mulder ultimately won the match, 2-6, 6-3, 10-3. Coconino’s Alora Richardson beat Serenity Parker at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-1.

Parker, who has been on the Moon Valley girls tennis team for four years, said she “focuses on the ball” and where she wants to hit it.

“My serves were good,” Parker said. “Just practice and training.”

Tennis is a hand-eye coordination sport where you need a lot of determination and focus. When asked how the players keep their focus during matches, especially intense ones, Hopeman said she supports them when needed.  

“I tell them to calm down and ground themselves, take deep breaths,” Hopeman said.

White said she “walks around a bit” to keep focus and locked into the game.

Hopeman said preparation and trust in her players are key once the game begins. In all, both teams played their hardest and Moon Valley is looking to improve as the season continues on.

The Rockets next play Raymond S. Kellis High School on the road March 3 at 3:30 p.m. in Glendale.

“Their improvement will come over the next two weeks,” Hopeman said. “We’re going to work on serving, hustling and fielding the court better.”