“One of the best season openers I can recall.”

That’s what head coach Doug Stone said after girls’ varsity tennis delivered an exhilarating season opener on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The team captured a decisive 6-1 victory against Menlo-Atherton High School, in a match filled with dramatic super tie-break wins, setting a promising tone for the rest of the season.

Despite Menlo-Atherton’s longstanding dominance — winning league 10 out of the last 12 years — Burlingame delivered a commanding performance.

“Had we beat MA 4-3, it would have surprised me. The fact that we beat them 6-1 was an absolute job by the team,” Stone said.

Junior Samantha Tom faced a tough competitor in the top spot, falling 6-1, 6-1. However, she felt there was a lot to learn from the match in her first time at the No. 1 singles spot.

“My opponent was really good at returning balls and placing them perfectly into the corner, so she consistently made me run back and forth,” Tom said. “But one thing I learned is if I do the same, it kind of works. So during the second set, I tried pushing her back, which got me a point.”

Junior Evelyn Du, sophomore Shea Mulready, and senior Natalie Gyde clinched victories in the following singles positions. Mulready dominated her match, winning 6-2, 6-1, while Gyde fought back after losing the second set to secure a thrilling 10-7 super tie-break win in her first match as a singles player.

“I’ve been struggling to get my game back to what it used to be last season, but I think this was a good step in the right direction,” Mulready said. “I think I was consistently hitting a hard ball and I felt really good about that.”

On the doubles court, seniors Hailey Miller and Lexi Podkaminer at No. 1 doubles, and junior Lyra Sheng and senior Ella Wang at No. 2 doubles, both lost their first sets but made stunning comebacks, winning their second sets and going on to clinch super tie-break victories with identical 10-8 scores. The No. 3 doubles team of Greta Martin and Ella Vuong rounded off Burlingame’s win with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory.

“Super tie-breaks are critical,” Stone said. “We executed flawlessly, winning three of them, which really put us over the top. Every point is critical in a super tie-break– you can’t afford any unforced errors.”

Stone also reflected on the significance of the victory against such an intimidating opponent. The energy on the courts was electrifying, with an enthusiastic crowd of parents, alumni, and students showing up to support the team.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Stone added. “We had the community out in full force– decorated bleachers, painted [in spirit], everyone dressed up. It was incredible.”

With their eyes set on a successful season, Burlingame’s girls’ varsity team is determined to bring the same intensity and team spirit to every match.

“As a team, we want to support each other and be the best we can,” Stone said. “Tennis is not easy. When you’re out there, it’s just you on the court. But we’re out here to have fun, develop our game, and enjoy the sport at every level.”