Tennis:

The La Salle girls’ tennis team continues its impressive 2025 season with the start of their postseason run, defeating Coachella Valley 13–5 in the first round of the CIF playoffs.

And they did so in spite of being short a player and traveling more than two hours for the match.

The victory marks another example of the teams’ grit, focus, and ability to rise under pressure.

“Practicing the pressure moments was key to our win,” said Coach Javier Djeu. “Five of our eight players are new to the team, and this was a brand-new experience for them. Driving two hours didn’t help either—but they handled it like pros.”

Despite the strong finish, the day didn’t start smoothly.

The Lancers split the first six sets, and Coach Javier admitted he was “not happy” with the team’s early energy.

But in the second round, everything began to click.

La Salle found its rhythm and began dominating the pressure points that had been emphasized in practice.

The turning point came from freshman Sima Samari, who was down 3–5 in her second singles match and looked on the verge of defeat before rallying to win in a tiebreaker.

“That was huge,” said Coach Javier. “She completely turned it around and gave us the momentum we needed to close out the match.”

Even while continuing to compete with one player short, the Lancers have embraced the challenge.

“We’ve honestly gotten used to it,” said Coach Javier. “It weighs on us, yes, but we’re using it to maintain our focus each point.”

Up next: The Lancers turn its attention to the next test, which is a home playoff match against No. 3 seed Norwalk on Friday.

The Lancers tied AGBU, 9-9, but they advanced on games.

“We’re playing well,” said Coach Javier. “We’re going to get a great practice in and prepare for a strong opponent.”

For Coach Javier, the success of this group goes beyond the scoreboard.

“It’s rewarding,” he said. “It’s been a tough season, but I’m so proud of how they’ve handled the pressure. And you’ll see—we’re not done.”