After winning a record five-straight county titles, the girls tennis team hopes to stretch its streak to six this year. So far the team is off to a good start, defeating both Bullis and Magruder 7-0.

According to sophomore Alissa Li, “the singles players played particularly well” in both matches.

The team, which has won eight of the last nine county title games, lost six players, including last year’s co-captains Tanya Bagheri and Jill Tietelbaum.

“It always impacts the team when you lose seniors and captains,” coach Ben Woods said. “It is also an opportunity for underclassmen to step up and take their turn at leading the Churchill Team.”

Younger players have risen to the occasion to fill in for last year’s seniors.

According to Li, freshmen Isabel Dibble, Jessica Dibble,

Gina Dehdashty and Tatiana Hewitt will help the team this year.

“I expect us to have a really strong season,” senior captain Lauren Perrine said. “Our team has a lot of depth this year with lots of great players all down the lineup.”

According to Perrine, the team is looking forward to its match against rival Wootton Sept. 24, because they are the Bulldogs’ strongest opponent.

“It’s not about winning and losing,” Woods said. “It’s for them to learn about themselves and give it their all, and then the record will take care of itself. They just need to have fun.”