The varsity tennis team competed against Van in a dual match on Tuesday, January 28. The Lions played a spring-type format where they played their events. The events include the following: boys singles, boys doubles, girls singles, girls doubles, and mixed doubles.
In boy's singles, Jackson Haynes and Colton Lawrence represented the team. Haynes defeated Van's top guy in straight sets, winning 6-3, 6-3 while his teammate Lawrence won in straight sets as well, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round. Haynes won with ease in the second round winning in straight sets, 4-0, 4-1.
Kaufman dominated boy's doubles on the night. Both teams won both of their matches. Lance Ivie and Diego Santoyo rolled through the competition refusing to give up but one game on the night. Likewise, Daniel Mendoza and Rylee Reyes won in straight sets in the first round. Their second match proved to be much tighter with Mendoza and Reyes fighting back to win the second set and winning the overall match in straight sets, 4-2, 5-3
Representing Kaufman in girl's singles were Isabella Negri and Amalia Garcia. Both lady lions won their first-round match in straight sets but not without a fight. Negri was down 5-1 in the second set before she battled back to win six straight games over her opponent for an overall score of 7-5, 7-5. Negri went on to win her second match as well.
Van's girls were favored over Kaufman in girls doubles but the lady lions valiantly competed and upset their opponents in the first round. Samantha Sipriano and Dannielle Anderson delivered a momentous win in straight sets over a tough Vandal team, 6-4, 6-4. Sipriano and Anderson won their second match as well. In similar fashion, Alondra Bermudez and Peytin Duckworth handled their opponents 6-2, 6-3.
Like boy's doubles, mixed doubles was one-sided in favor of Kaufman. The Lions delivered wins in straight sets, courtesy of Zach Bryant/Laney Sanders and Steven Quiroz/Meghan Crowley. Kaufman's mixed teams are very strong, and they demonstrated it on the night. They cruised through the competition.
The varsity will compete in the Kaufman Paine Invitational on Thursday, February 6.